What Follows Next
by Piceron
Summary: Four years after the Blight, the king of Ferelden decides to marry the woman he loves, but what are the consequences of this decision? Sequel to What Comes Next, but a summary is provided. Includes political intrigue, kidnappings, rescues/escapes.
1. Summary and Glossary of Characters

_A.N.: As I started writing this, I realized I had a lot of outside characters from my original story that either are mentioned in the first actual chapter or may be making an appearance later. For those that haven't read What Comes Next (or those who did but forgot), I have made this chapter a brief summary of the first story and a glossary of outside characters. I will try to remember to add to the glossary as new characters make an appearance in this story as well. Of course, feel free to skip right ahead to the next chapter where the story starts! _

_Bioware owns all of Ferelden except for the places and characters I made up. I'm just having fun adding to their world._

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Summary of What Comes Next: Elandria (Lanie) Surana was believed dead after slaying the Archdemon. Neither she nor Alistair knew she was pregnant at the time, and their son ended up being the one to actually destroy the Archdemon's soul. She went to live with the Dalish elves for the next four years. Alistair married but was never really over Elandria. Eventually, he and his wife had a daughter who they lost from blight disease. After the baby's death, the queen left Alistair and was granted an annulment by the Chantry. Months later, Elandria arranged to meet Alistair to let him know she wasn't dead and to tell him about their son. A month later, Alistair revealed the fact she was alive and the existence of their son at the yearly Landsmeet. He proposed to her in front of the entire Landsmeet and gave the nobles an ultimatum. They could either re-confirm him with his son as heir and Elandria as his wife or he would abdicate and leave Ferelden forever with his family. The catch is that Elandria will be his wife, but not queen.

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Glossary of outside characters who appeared in What Comes Next and who may make an appearance here or be mentioned

Ser Adair - Second in command of Maric's Shield. He is normally the night commander for Alistair's guards

Master Adwen - Alistair's somewhat fussy personal servant. He is in charge of Alistair's clothes and usually dresses him for appearances

Aileen Stewart - Her Grace and teyrna of Gwaren. Wife of Ranald Stewart

Mistress Beatrice - Cook's assistant and the person who led Zynalla to Ser Bryce

Briana Theirin - Alistair's first wife and former queen of Ferelden, although her and Alistair's marriage has been annulled by the Chantry at Briana's request after the death of their daughter, Moira. She returned to the Bann of Waking Sea where she had grown up shortly after her baby's death.

Ser Braden - Knight and member of the council

Ser Bryce - Second in command of Kellin's guards. He feels it impinges on his dignity to have to take care of Kellin. His girlfriend, Maggie, who is a cook in the kitchens, offers him one of her girls to help until the prince's nanny is selected.

Ciannata - Elandria's new maid/serving woman. Very talented in the arts of a lady's maid

Sister Elizabeth - Chantry member of the ruling council. She isn't fond of Elandria.

Elspeth - Mage of the Circle and member of the ruling council

Goodman Campbell - Rich merchant in Denerim who owns many of the shops in the market district. His son was the ringleader for a gang of young men who were attacking and raping elven women from the alienage. His son was sentenced to seven years of hard labor on city work crews for his part in the crimes. Alistair had turned down a petition from the goodman to reduce the sentence

Glenda - Briana's maid and foster mother

Ser Hugh Firth - Commander of Maric's Shield, Alistair's personal protection detail. He is usually on duty during the day

Arlessa Iona Urien - Widely-liked wife of Arl Vaughn. She bore Vaughn a son the previous year, who was named Cailan

Kaneath Elrani - Torin's father. A disabled Dalish elf who helped Elandria sort through some of her issues after the Blight was resolved. He also coached Elandria and Torin when they would spar together

Kellin Theirin - His Royal Highness and prince of Ferelden. Alistair and Elandria's son. He is three and has been raised by Elandria with Lanaya's clan since his birth. Alistair only became aware of his existence about a month before this story begins

Maggie - Ser Bryce's girlfriend. A cook in the kitchen who offers one of her workers to help in the prince's suite

Menarin - Dalish elf who replaced Athras as weapons trainer for Lanaya's clan after the death of his wife, Danyla. He was the ringleader of the group of young elves who harassed Elandria for having borne a shemlen child. After the darkspawn battle, Elandria and Menarin became friends when he asked for her help in training the hunters, and he actually made a pass at her shortly before she decided to let Alistair know she was still alive

Moira Theirin - Her Royal Highness and princess of Ferelden. Daughter of Alistair and Briana. Died of blight disease days after her birth

Ranald Stewart - His Grace and teyrn of Gwaren. Raised from bann by Alistair shortly after his coronation. He had been a liegeman of Teyrn Loghain

Sergeant Reilly - Member of Maric's Shield, normally on the night shift with Ser Adair. Adair and Reilly are the two guards that generally accompany Alistair when he sneaks out of the palace at night, usually to haunt his and Zevran's favorite low-life tavern, _The Broken Sword_

Ser Tavin - Leader of the ruling council. He turned his bann over to his son to be able to have the time free to devote to the council in Denerim. Loyal supporter of King Alistair

Torin Elrani - Kaneath's son, a nineteen-year-old Dalish elf from Lanaya's clan, Kellin's liege man through vows sworn at a Lenayath ceremony (an elven ritual). He is Kellin's protector and magically bound to him until death

Vanora - Dalish elf still with Lanaya's clan who had shared an aravel with Elandria and helped to raise Kellin. She and Kaneath are now living together and plan to eventually bond

Zynalla Dace - young city elf plucked out of the kitchens temporarily by Ser Bryce's girlfriend to help perform chores in the prince's suite


	2. Elandria's New Life

_A.N.: This tale starts three days after the Landsmeet where Alistair proposed to Lanie and is done first person from Elandria's viewpoint._

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_I must have moved again.

"Please, my La-Warden," said Ciannata. "You must stand still or I will stick you with the pins."

Why am I putting myself through this-all this fuss and dress up? The answer to that question is easy. I'm doing it to please Alistair. I'm currently standing in a guest bedroom at the palace in Denerim where my newfound serving woman is attempting to corral me into a "dress worthy of a queen." I had scoffed at that comment from Ciannata earlier, as there is one thing I'm not, and never will be, is a queen.

It has been three days since the banns of the Landsmeet and Alistair and Eamon had worked out the conditions under which Alistair and I will be allowed to marry. Alistair will stay king and Kellin will be acknowledged as heir. I will be Alistair's wife with no title, nor be allowed to publicly bear the Theirin name. Alistair had been a bit upset about some of the various conditions at first, more on my behalf, I believe. He is so careful of my feelings as I think he is still a little unsure in our relationship after our long separation. Even though I had never stopped loving him, or he me, the almost four years apart are bound to have left their mark on both of us, and we will have to discover these new facets and foibles to each other's personality in the days and months ahead. He did calm down when I told him it is fine with me and that I will have the only three labels I care about; wife, mamae, and Warden.

Alistair wants to have the wedding as soon as possible. I think he is afraid the banns will change their minds. As I don't want that to happen either, I am perfectly happy to have the wedding quickly. The sooner the better in my opinion, I can't wait to get the whole occasion over with. I just wish I didn't have to be dressed up, made up, and ornamented like some high-priced worker from The Pearl. I wish I could wear my armor or even a set of comfy mage robes. However, Alistair's specific request is that I wear something pretty. How can I not do this small thing for him?

Thus, I have been enduring a round of fittings with Ciannata and her assistants for the past two days. This is the last one as tomorrow is the day of our wedding. I think even Leliana would approve of my planned attire for the affair. Somewhere Ciannata managed to find a bolt of cloth of a shade of blue that exactly matches my eyes to use for the base color of the dress. The ornamentation on the bodice and sleeves is in red and silver. Ciannata wanted to use gold with the red, but was informed, with no small disdain, that gold was a color for royalty, which I did not rate to wear. A shame really, I think the gold would have looked fabulous. Even though the dress is from neck to floor as is proper, it is cut close and shows every curve of my frame. Something else I'm not used to or comfortable with, but for Alistair's sake, I suppose I can make it through one day wearing it.

In one thing, I put my foot down and did get my way. The actual ceremony is private and will be held tomorrow afternoon. Only Alistair, Kellin, Torin, Lanaya, Wynne, Eamon, Isolde, Teagan, and I will be there. It will be officiated over by Sister Theohild of the Denerim Chantry. I just hope I don't end up married to a side of bacon or some other meat product. Alistair had gotten such a kick out of the sister's changes to the chant when we were passing through Denerim fighting the Blight that when he said he wanted her to do the ceremony, I just couldn't say no.

The actual ceremony will probably be the easiest part of the day for me because in the evening there is to be a large reception with all the nobility invited. With so many of the nobles in town for the Landsmeet, it is almost guaranteed that the palace will be crowded that night. No one wants to take the chance of insulting the newly re-confirmed king by not appearing at the celebration.

I'm so not looking forward to it. Growing up in the mage tower, racing around Ferelden as a Grey Warden, fighting the Blight, and then living in the forest with the elves does not do much to instill social graces in a person. Being an elf and not a noble only adds to the stress. I know I have been much too formal and carried myself too stiffly when I have been forced to interact with the nobility these past days since my return to Denerim, but I can't seem to help it. Alistair tells me to relax and be myself. He has the advantage there, as he has been doing this for four years now and knows that, with Maric's blood flowing in his veins, he truly belongs here. I'm like some kind of wild animal let in among the gentle, civilized folk, and they won't let me forget it either. Over the past three days, the subtle (and not-so-subtle) insults when Alistair isn't around have already started. Not that I really expected anything else and not that it bothers me. I would put up with a lot worse than mean-spirited slurs and slights to be able to be with Alistair. I learned a long time ago how little words can hurt if you refuse to acknowledge what is being said. I never realized what good training the templars at the tower had given me with their sneers and innuendos or how useful I would find it in my life. This is not the first time I have been able to ignore and shake off insults that may have crushed the spirit of a person not brought up in this manner. Maybe I should send the templars at the tower a thank you card.

As soon as Ciannata is done torturing me-I mean, helping me out of my dress-I throw on a loose tunic and pants along with drawing on my boots so I can head down to the salle by the armory to meet Alistair. He has been spoiling me. The past few days I have had a selection of clothes and footwear delivered such as I have never seen in my life. Leliana would absolutely be ecstatic. I also quickly braid my hair up so it will not be in the way while we are sparring. I am currently awaiting a new set of armor from Master Wade. He has promised me something special, but refuses to divulge any details. Knowing Master Wade as I do, I'm sure it will be something spectacular. Evidently, he and Herren had left Denerim for Amaranthine after the battle that was fought here damaged their shop so badly. They had returned to Denerim two years ago and once again run a flourishing armor business in the market district. Their constant bickering does not hide the true affection between them. Alistair and I had agreed to spar today without armor.

Once I am dressed, I pick up Spellweaver in its sheath and attach it to my back. I still cannot believe I once again have it in my hands. I missed this sword so much the four years it hung on the wall in Alistair's quarters. It makes me smile to think he held on to it for so long. I am a lucky woman to have earned his love. As I stride through the passages heading for the salle following the directions Alistair has given me, I am careful to acknowledge every person I see. I'm working on getting the servants to address me as Warden instead of my Lady (especially as if any of the _real_ ladies heard them, they would shriek bloody murder, I'm sure). I'm trying to learn all the servants' names, but as there are so many, this is something that will take time.

The worst thing about traveling through the palace are all the nobles. I carefully give the little bow that has become my trademark greeting to everyone in rank above commoner and below arl, ignoring the snide comments I hear as I walk away about my state of dress and my sword on my back. How little did I realize what I was letting myself in for when I agreed to marry Alistair. Not that he isn't worth it. Don't get me wrong. He is worth _everything_ to me.

On entering the salle, I note the four pairs of palace guards who are working out at the other end of the large chamber. This is a serviceable room, longer than it is wide, carrying the scents of sweat, oil from armor, as well as burnt candles. There is an area with a few mats where unarmed combat can be practiced. A table stands along the wall in the middle of the room filled with bits and pieces of armor and weapons that can be used by anyone who doesn't have their own. There are a few dummies set up here and there for those that want to practice with a less challenging opponent. I walk a short way into the room to an area where we will be able to engage each other without coming into conflict with anyone else wishing to use the salle. I lay Spellweaver aside and start a series of exercises to warm up my muscles. In the past few years, my sword work has come a long way. I will never be a fighter able to smash my way through opponents, but there aren't many that would be able to get through my defenses either. All the steady work with Torin and Kaneath has sharpened my offensive abilities to at least above average. Not bad for a mage, if I do say so myself.

Finishing my exercises, I unsheathe and pick up Spellweaver. I can almost feel the hum of power contained in the sword as it accepts my hand on its hilt. The fire rune on the sword causes a fine red gleam to shine all up and down the blade. I swing the sword through the air in a gradually faster figure-of-eight pattern that works all the muscles around my shoulder girdle. When I reach three-quarter speed, I pull back to half and continue to twirl the blade, changing arms, and listening for the comments I expect to come from the back of the room. The human guards do not realize I can hear every word they say.

"Isn't that the king's pet elf?" says one of the guards as he and his partner take a break. "Think she can do anything with that sword but spin it in circles?"

Well, I've been called worse things than the king's pet elf the past few days. King's whore is one of my least favorite. I guess I can live with pet elf.

"I think you are right," says his partner. "Little thing like that, hard to believe she killed the Archdemon. I don't see how she can lift that sword much less do anything with it."

_Don't let appearances deceive you, gentlemen, _I think to myself.

"Can you believe the king is actually going to marry her?" states the first guard. "I mean I can understand why he would want her in his bed, but to actually marry an elf? What's this world coming to?" he asks with a shake of his head. "I don't understand why he doesn't just keep her on the side. No one would object to that."

I struggle to keep my face neutral as though not overhearing this comment. Maybe pet elf isn't any better than whore.

His partner replies, "Well, she is the Hero of Ferelden, that has to count for something."

"It got her into the king's bed, didn't it? Why does she need more reward?"

I quench the flare of anger those comments cause as I think to myself that actually I was in Alistair's bed (as they so quaintly put it, bedroll would have been more appropriate) long _before_ any of this Hero of Ferelden fuss started.

"Old Daneth, who retired from Maric's Shield, says that now he believes King Alistair is really King Maric's son because King Maric always had a thing for elven woman," pipes up another younger guard trying to impress his fellows.

"You, louts. Shut your traps about your betters and get back to business. Javin, if you go into a fight with that sloppy shield work, you won't have to worry about having time to run your mouth, you'll be dead," an older man said, obviously in charge of the group.

The door to the salle crashes open at this point as Alistair enters through it followed by two of his personal guards. Everything is right in my world again as his eyes light up when he sees me.

The guards hurry to offer their cross-armed salute to the king, which he acknowledges as he crosses the room to me. "Hey," I say as he bends his head down to give me a thorough kiss. As the kiss deepens, I mold my body to his regardless of the watching guards, and I feel his undeniable delight in the response of his body when I do so. "You keep that up, and we'll be practicing a totally different type of swordplay," I say softly to him when he lifts his head.

His brown eyes smolder down at me with barely contained fire. "You just wait until tomorrow night," he promises.

A shiver traces its way down my spine at his words. We have been playing this touchy-feely game, almost a sparring match itself, between us ever since our meeting outside Denerim where he had learned I wasn't dead. It's almost become a silent dare, who can take more of the teasing. I must admit I'm getting anxious for tomorrow night. It's been four years since we have been together, and there has been no one else for me in all that time. I'm more than ready to be with him again. Alistair is the one who has insisted that we wait for the wedding. If it had been up to me, the teasing would have ended days ago.

"So, are you ready to begin?" he asks as he steps back to unsheathe Starfang.

"Are you?" I counter. This will be the first time we have sparred since I arrived at the palace. "Let me find a shield I like. You warm up some." I head to the middle of the salle to the table to sort through the available equipment. I find a small shield like the one I have been using when working with Torin. By the time I return to Alistair and get the shield settled to my satisfaction, he is ready to start.

"Defense pattern 1," says Alistair. "Remember it?" he asks.

"Of course I remember it," I say. "You beat it into me for months. How could I forget? How fast?"

"Lady's choice," he says.

I look at him with a gleam in my eye. "Full speed, variant 2," I say in challenge.

Alistair had devised a series of patterns when he was training me years ago. He takes on the offensive role while I try to defend against him. Defense pattern 1 was the very first series he had taught me. Variant 1 put in some harder moves, and variant 2 was the most difficult and the longest. We had just started really working variant 2 before our confrontation with the Archdemon, so I hadn't ever completed the whole pattern against him. I had usually only made it about halfway through before having to bow to his superiority and never at full speed.

He just smiles at me with a lifted eyebrow. "Interesting," he says and then flows into his first position.

I take a cleansing breath, settle in my defensive crouch, and nod at him to begin. He comes at me in a flash. The first crash of his sword against my shield reminds me just how strong he is. The moves and positions flow past in a steady stream as I channel my magic to my muscles and let them take over, spinning and blocking through the pattern. Alistair and I dance together, weaving through the moves, as sword and shield meet time and time again. Finally, almost at the end of the pattern, I falter. My shield doesn't quite make it into position, and I see him pull his stroke and back off.

"Well, you have improved," he says as he stops his attack, sheathes Starfang, and draws his arm across his forehead to redirect the sweat about to run into his eyes. At this point, we both are breathing heavily and sweating profusely. "You couldn't have stood up against that attack four years ago."

"I've been working with Torin and his father over the past few years," I say. I slowly pull myself back up into a full standing position while struggling to regain my breath as the magic-enhanced strength and speed of my muscles fade away. "Torin is quick, but I've forgotten how strong you are," I say to Alistair. "I'm going to be sore tomorrow."

He leans over and whispers in my ear, "I'll be sure to rub everything that hurts and make it feel all better."

"I'll hold you to that," I reply.

As I move to return the shield to the common items table, I see our sparring has generated the attention of all the guards. I'm not certain if it is because of Alistair or me, but I nod in the direction of the older guard who had stopped his men from talking. He nods back. I turn and make my way back to Alistair. As I'm walking across the salle, I have to hide my grin as I hear the older guard say, "That's what shield work is supposed to look like, Javin. Were you watching?"

As I reach Alistair once again, I say, "I need to head back and get a bath before dinner."

"May I escort you back to your room, milady?" asks Alistair as he offers me his arm.

"I would be honored, Ser" I answer with a slight incline of my body towards him and a lilt in my voice, "I feel though in the interests of full disclosure that you should know that I am no lady."

"I certainly hope not," he says for my ears only.

After my bath, I head for Alistair's suite, accompanied by my faithful mabari, Gabriel. Kellin has been installed in the adjoining series of rooms that used to belong to Alistair's queen. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but it's not like I can ask Alistair to move out of his suite just because he used to share it with his first wife. Once we are married, I will move into Alistair's rooms with him. Neither one of us wants to follow the convention of separate chambers, especially as this arrangement allows Kellin to be close. Torin has the small bedroom that used to belong to the queen's maid as he has officially been titled Guardian of the Prince and is in charge of Kellin's security. I had to go to Alistair to get that concession. The council wanted to appoint an older man who had been in the Royal Guards for years to head Kellin's guard detail. Alistair agreed with me that Torin should be in charge as he knows about the Lenayath vows that exist between Torin and Kellin. Alistair declared Torin Kellin's Guardian, making him separate but in charge of the rest of his guards. I'm not sure we've done Torin any favors though. He will have to earn the other men's respect as not many will want to follow the orders of a nineteen-year-old elf.

I would have liked for Vanora to have come with us as well when we left Lanaya's clan, but she wished to remain with Kaneath. I certainly can't begrudge her that. She deserves some happiness after losing her husband so tragically. As such, we are currently searching for a nursery attendant for Kellin. At three, he is beginning to be quite a terror.

"Mamae," he yells as I come into the room, and I am about knocked off my feet as he barrels right into me wrapping his arms around my waist.

I know I shouldn't, but I laugh at him as I gather him into my arms for a hug. "Kellin, how many times have I told you not to do that?"

He grins up at me with his father's smile, says, "Sorry," and my heart melts.

"What have you been doing today?" I ask my son as I ruffle his hair.

"Torin took me on a picnic," he says brightly.

"Did you have fun?" I ask, but my question is ignored as Alistair comes through the adjoining door from his suite and must be greeted.

"Father," Kellin cries flinging himself at Alistair just as he had done to me. However, his arms can only reach to about the top of Alistair's thigh instead of his waist. Kellin is greatly enamored of his father as it only took one meeting for him to wrap Alistair around his little finger. I'm beginning to think our son has inherited his grandfather's legendary charisma, as no one seems to be able to stand firm when it comes to Kellin. I shudder to think how spoiled this child will be.

Alistair reaches down, picks the little boy up, and crushes him to his chest in a hug. As it was only about a month ago that he found out about his son and just since we've arrived at the palace three days ago that he can see him every day, I know it touches Alistair deeply to be around him, especially after the loss of his daughter and his belief that he would never sire a living child. Looking at the two of them, it is obvious that they are father and son. Kellin will always be marked by his elven heritage by the pale sky-blue eyes he inherited from me, a shade of blue not seen in humans. However, his facial features strongly resemble Alistair's. Kellin's hair is lighter than Alistair's, somewhere between his chestnut blaze and my ash blonde lightness with twinges of copper. I cannot control the swell in my heart at seeing the two of them together. The fact that the three of us will actually be a family still seems like a dream.

Kellin is chattering away to Alistair, who listens most seriously.

Torin joins us to take Kellin saying, "Come, my prince, let your mamae and father go to dinner."

Kellin, the little manipulator, turns to Alistair, "Father, I wanna go with you, please?" I avert my head to hide my smile, already knowing where this is going.

"What a good idea," says Alistair. "Then I won't have to listen to all those boring grownups at dinner, will I?" Alistair beams down at Kellin like he has discovered a new variety of cheese.

"Alistair," I say quietly. "You are spoiling him horribly."

"Nonsense. A boy should share a meal with his father every once in a while. Maybe we should have our own private dinner just the three of us," suggests Alistair.

"That would be lovely, but not tonight I think," I say. "The night before the wedding, remember? I believe there are quite a few guests here all ready who are expecting to see you."

"And you," he is quick to add.

"If you say so," I reply, though I know that none of the guests are here to see me. Most of them would like nothing better than for me to conveniently disappear, leaving Alistair and Kellin behind.

The little rugrat, I mean, our son, gets his way and is carried the whole way to the dining room by his adoring father as we are surrounded by Alistair's guards. Torin, Gabriel, and I trail behind, just listening to the two of them chattering back and forth, discussing everything from what we were having for dinner (strong preferences for cheese and cake) to when Kellin could have his very own mabari puppy (at least 5 years old).

My mind returns to the remarks of the guards in the salle today as well as the various comments I have overheard in the days since the Landsmeet. I am more and more disturbed as I consider the situation through dinner. Alistair and Kellin have a wonderful time, even indulging in a food fight before the meal is over, and when they gang up and both start throwing carrots pieces at me, I must defend my honor by returning fire with my peas.

After we finally get Kellin settled for the night, Alistair and I are left with some time alone. The past two nights, we have spent this time talking about things that have happened since we parted and just enjoying being together once again. Tonight, I have a serious matter to discuss with Alistair.


	3. Zy's Opportunity

_A.N.: I was remiss and forgot to mention my thanks to melismo for the beta on the first chapter, so much love for doing both of them!_

_Thanks also to everyone who has reviewed and added this story to favorites and alerts. Reviews really do fuel the creative juices!_

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_Midafternoon, the day before Alistair and Elandria's wedding_

Because of the wedding tomorrow, Zynalla had been forced to come in to work at her job in the palace's kitchens shortly after midnight as the cooks were trying to get as much of the food prepared ahead of time as possible. She had lost track of how many sinkfuls of pots and dishes she had washed since arriving. By early afternoon, she felt as though she was about ready to drop. She was used to hard work, but definitely not at the pace and for the length of time all the kitchen help had labored under this day. She wasn't sure how much longer they were going to make all the staff stay either. She was half-heartedly scrubbing a pot when Mistress Beatrice gave her a sharp poke in the back. "You there! Girl! Come with me."

Zy was so startled she almost dropped the pot. "Me, Mistress?" she questioned.

"Yes, you. Come along right this minute," replied Mistress Beatrice. Zy gladly left the pot in the sink and dried her hands on her featureless dress as she followed the cook's assistant through the washing area, the prep area, and into the main kitchen itself where the large ovens held sway. The heat was intense, but Zy was too nervous to pay it much attention. She had no idea what she was being singled out for. She grasped the dangling strands of her auburn hair that had struggled free from the bun she had pulled her hair back into during the early hours of the morning and tried to neatly tuck them behind her daintily pointed ears. They weaved their way through the mass of people hard at work in the main kitchen and into a passageway on the other side. Zy had never been past the ovens before as kitchen staff were considered some of the lowest of the servants in the palace and not fit to travel passageways where their betters might have to look at them.

Leaning against the wall, obviously impatient, was a tall human male dressed in armor carrying a sword on his back. Zy almost fainted as she felt the fear rush through her body. She frantically tried to think of something she had done wrong that would have merited her being turned over to a guard. She hovered on the brink of dashing back into the kitchen and trying to escape.

"Is this the girl Maggie sent?" he asked, addressing the cook's assistant.

"Yes," said Mistress Beatrice. "Girl, you go with Ser Bryce. He has a new job for you." She turned away after she finished speaking, obviously dismissing Zy from her thoughts as she returned to her labors in the kitchen.

Zy stood twisting her hands, staring nervously at the man. A job? What was this about? He pushed himself away from the wall. "Come on," he said shortly and strode down the hall. Zy had to almost run to keep up with the man's quick strides. "I understand you know how to take care of children," the man stated.

Zy nervously cleared her throat. "Yes Ser, I have five younger brothers and sisters I've helped care for all my life." Fear made her words come out much softer than normal.

Ser Bryce just grunted. "I'm second in command of Prince Kellin's guards," he explained. "You will be helping to take care of the prince for the next few days until a proper nanny can be found." _Better you than me. Thank the Maker Maggie is in charge of the kitchen workers and can assign them as she sees fit. I'll have to be extra sweet to her on our date tonight since she found me someone so quickly. That damn elf was perfectly happy doing all the menial chores for the boy, but not me. I'm a guard, not a babysitter. He would have had us continuing to clean up after the prince until the nanny arrives. This girl can do that until then, especially taking care of the chamberpot. That's what the damn elves are for, not to be in charge of guard details. Maker's balls, it still infuriates me that knife ear was given the position as the prince's guard commander. It should have been mine! _

Zy almost stopped in her tracks. She was to help take care of the prince? She had heard the rumors that had flown through the alienage and the palace a few days ago that the Hero of Ferelden had returned from the dead with a son that was the king's and that he was going to marry her, but she never would have expected anything like this. She hurried to catch back up with the man who had not slowed down. By this time, Zy was totally lost. They had made so many turns and climbed flights of stairs that she had never seen before. She felt as if her head was spinning. Finally, he came to a halt outside a door where there were two other human guards standing.

Ser Bryce pushed the door open and just looked at her as Zy stood in confusion not sure what she was supposed to do. "Go on," he said. "You can start work now. I'm not feeding the boy another meal and you can tell him that." He added, "The jumped-up knife ear" almost as an aside to himself, but Zy heard it clear as day.

Zy was uncertain as to what exactly she was to do or who "him" was, but she had been around enough humans who thought she was little better than an animal to know the correct response. She dropped a small curtsey, keeping her head bowed and eyes lowered. "Yes, Ser," she said as she moved through the door. As she entered the room, she heard the door click shut behind her. Zy stopped and her mouth dropped open. She had never seen such luxury in her life. The floor was covered in textured rugs. There were beautiful tapestries hung on all the walls. The furniture was all crafted of shining wood. Zy stood just looking around her not sure what she should do. As she didn't see anyone here, she slowly moved through the room to the door on the other side, being careful not to touch anything. She could almost feel the dirt dropping from her dress and well-worn boots to mar the surface of the carpets.

As she approached, she could hear quiet murmuring coming from the next room as the door was slightly ajar. She lightly pushed against it to open it farther. As Zy peered through the slit that was created, all she could see was part of the right side and back of someone sitting in a chair. This person was the source of the soft sounds she had been hearing. She also saw that a child's head was resting on the person's shoulder as a strong hand slowly stroked the child's hair over and over in a rhythmic fashion. The man, as she could now tell it was definitely a male, turned his head to place a kiss on the child's cheek. Zy let loose a small gasp because when the man had turned and lowered his head, she could see the pointed tip of his ear that was exposed as his hair fell forward. She also noted the swirls of tattoos that gracefully marked the entire right side of his face. At the small sound she had made, the man moved faster than anyone she had ever seen. Her heart jumped up in her throat as he came out of his chair, spun around sideways with the child still clutched protectively against him, and a dagger in his left hand held out threateningly in front of him. He stood so his body was between her and the child.

"Who are you and what do you want?" the man demanded sharply. His tattoos continued across his entire face, giving him an exotic, dangerous demeanor.

Zy pushed the door open a little more. "My name is Zynalla Dace. I was brought here by Ser Bryce. He told me I was to help take care of-the child," Zy was proud that her voice was firm and not shaking. He must be a Dalish elf. She had heard stories her whole life about the Dalish, but she had never expected to see one. She stared at the dagger he held in his hand. Zy could barely conceive of an elf openly armed outside the alienage. Even though the strict laws against elves bearing weapons had been largely struck down and many in the alienage now had weapons, none of them would have been carried into the human parts of the city for fear of what would happen to the elf stupid enough to do such a thing.

He slowly lowered the dagger as he continued to assess her. Zy stood tall as she didn't want to appear cowardly in front of this man. Finally, he turned and walked over to the small bed that was against the far wall and very carefully laid the boy down. He covered him gently and left him with one more small caress down his face. Zy tried to marry in her mind the diametrical images of the tenderness he displayed to the child with the warrior he had been just moments before. He turned back to the chair he had left, squatted down, and picked up another dagger from the floor that had been hidden from her sight. In one smooth practiced motion, both daggers were sheathed, and he then strode towards her, indicating she should go back into the room she had just left.

Torin entered the sitting room off of Kellin's bedroom behind this Zynalla Dace person. He would get to the bottom of what was going on here. He halfway closed the door behind him so their voices would not wake Kellin from his nap, but would allow him to hear if Kellin stirred. He turned to face Zynalla. She was a tiny thing with auburn hair pulled back in a bun, which was set off by fair skin with just the hint of a few freckles and green eyes that had earlier flashed at him. She was dressed in no better than rags though, with hands that were red and callused from heavy labor. She had that painful thinness that allowed every bone in her body to be seen through her skin that came from never having enough to eat. He could see her skirts were wet and grimy, and she had a smear of dirt running from one cheek to down below her chin as if she had rubbed it with her arm. "Explain to me exactly what is going on, please?" he asked in a more normal tone of voice. He didn't want to scare the girl. She obviously was no threat to Kellin.

She met his eyes as she answered. "I'm not sure. I was in the kitchen washing dishes as usual when Mistress Beatrice told me to follow her. She brought me to Ser Bryce and told me that he would have a new job for me. Ser Bryce told me I was to help take care of the-the prince until a nanny could be found and brought me here. He told me to come in and start work." _He also called you a_ _jumped-up knife ear, but I don't think I will repeat that._ "Ser Bryce said to say he's not feeding the prince any more meals," Zy finished softly.

Torin pursed his lips and continued to stare at the girl. "Do you know anything about children?" he finally asked.

"I have five younger brothers and sisters I've helped raise," she answered.

Torin walked back over to the door separating Kellin's sitting room and bedroom. He pulled it shut and locked it placing the key in his belt pouch. "You stay here," he ordered her. "I'll be back shortly."

Torin exited into the hallway, closing the door to the sitting room firmly behind him. He turned to the three guards on duty at the two doors that made up the entrances into Kellin's small suite of rooms. "Corporal Conall, Prince Kellin is asleep in his bedroom. I want you to stay with him until I return, please."

"Yes, Guardian," said the corporal, and he entered Kellin's bedchamber from the hall.

"Ser Bryce," said Torin.

"Yes," said the man shortly.

Torin noted the lack of title, but decided to let it pass. "The next time the prince acquires a servant, I expect to be consulted about it beforehand. It was a good idea to get some help, but your little nursery attendant almost ended up with a dagger in her belly. Do you understand?" he asked.

Ser Bryce continued to glare at him. "Yeah."

"I know I heard you say, 'Yes Guardian, I understand,' didn't I?" asked Torin as he balanced lightly on the balls of his feet ready for a challenge from the other man.

Ser Bryce gritted the muscles in his jaw, but knew the elf had the king's backing, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. "Yes, Guardian," he finally said. "I understand."

"I'm glad we agree, Ser Bryce," Torin replied. "And one more thing, if I say you will feed the prince his dinner, you _will_ feed the prince his dinner. Carry on." Torin turned and walked off as Ser Bryce seethed. He headed in the direction of the king's rooms to see who was stationed outside. He was hoping to find Reilly or Adair, although he knew both of them were normally on the king's night rotation of guards. As luck would have it, neither man was on duty.

"Greetings," said Torin to the two men standing outside the entrance to the king's suite.

"Good afternoon," they answered politely enough as all Alistair's guards knew who Torin was.

"I was wondering if the king's serving man is here." Torin said.

One of the men answered that he thought he was. Torin requested that the guard ask him to come out and speak with him. He reluctantly went to fetch Master Adwen. When Adwen exited the chambers, he listened to what Torin had to say and was willing enough to help him fetch some uniforms for the girl. She couldn't work in Kellin's suite in the rags she was wearing, and Torin doubted if she had anything better at home. He had been through enough lean winters himself to know the look of someone who lived in perpetual hunger.

It took them longer than he expected to gather enough uniforms for the girl that he thought would fit her, but he finally made it back to Kellin's area of the palace. He thanked Master Adwen for his help when Adwen made his departure for the king's suite. Torin nodded to the two guards on duty as he entered the bedchamber. Kellin was still asleep, and Corporal Conall was standing by the window watching out. He very quietly told the corporal to stay where he was, and then he removed the key from his belt pouch and opened the adjoining door to the sitting room that he had locked on his way out earlier.

As he entered the sitting room, he saw the girl, Zynalla. She had sat down on the floor in a corner. Her head was tilted back against the wall as she lightly slept. Now that she was still, he could see the exhaustion evident in her face. He walked over to her, but not too close. He didn't want to startle or scare her when she awoke.

"Wake up," he said softly. When she didn't stir, he repeated it a little louder. He watched as her lids fluttered open. He saw the confusion in her eyes as she didn't remember where she was and then he watched comprehension dawn. She hurriedly pushed against the wall, quickly and gracefully getting to her feet.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"How long have you been working today?" he asked.

"Because of the wedding tomorrow, we started early, just after midnight," she answered.

"And you are still here? No wonder you're tired," Torin said. "Well, I think you have had a full day. Here." He thrust the palace uniforms at her. "I had to guess at the sizes, but hopefully I wasn't too far off. If they don't fit, bring them back tomorrow, and we will try to get something that will."

The girl took the uniforms with a questioning look. "I don't understand," she said.

"Well, you can't work in Prince Kellin's suite in that," Torin said, pointing at her stained dress.

Zy looked down at herself and flushed, the grime she had carried with her from the kitchens standing out in clear detail. "I guess not," she agreed.

"Can you be here at six bells tomorrow morning?" Torin asked. It had taken Torin two days to figure out the bell system. It still seemed strange, but he was having to learn how to deal with all sorts of new situations.

"Six! I'm normally here by four and a half!" Zy admitted.

"We may end up keeping you longer in the evenings depending on the prince's schedule," said Torin. "He usually isn't up until around seven bells in the mornings. If he does rise before you get here, I'll take care of him."

Zy had all kinds of questions she wanted to ask this strange man, who still hadn't even told her his name. She wondered how a Dalish elf had ended up here at the palace seemingly in charge of a human prince _and_ willing to take care of him. That had to be a story worth hearing. "I'm sorry," Zynalla said. "But can you tell me who you are?"

It was Torin's turn to blush now. "Oh, I forgot to mention that, didn't I? Sorry, my name is Torin Elrani. I'm the prince's guardian," he told her matter of factly. "Come next door with me," he said. He watched as she tried to juggle the clothes in her hands as she crossed the room and they entered Kellin's bedchamber. He put his finger up to his lips in the universal sign for silence and made a motioning signal for her to stay where she was. He crossed Kellin's chamber and entered his small room. He pulled out one of the empty, rather beat-up valises he had stored some of his things in when they were moving to Denerim.

He exited his room again and motioned for both Corporal Conall and Zynalla to follow him out the door into the hallway. He handed the valise to the girl. "Here, you can use this to carry those home," he told her. "I'd just appreciate it if you would bring it back with you tomorrow."

Zy looked up at him in disbelief that he was willing to lend her, some stranger he didn't know, one of his own possessions. "Thank you," was all she said.

"Corporal Conall," Torin began. "I want you to show Mistress Zynalla the way out so that she will know how to get back here on her own tomorrow. I'll need you to then return for the rest of your shift." Torin had been afraid that Ser Bryce's attitude would work its way down through the detail to the younger men, but luckily that hadn't been the case so far. Corporal Conall was one of the few people who hadn't seemed fazed that Torin had been put in charge of the guard detail.

"Yes, Guardian," the corporal replied.

"Mistress Zynalla, I will see you in the morning," was all Torin said as he slipped back into Kellin's bedchamber.

Corporal Conall seemed willing to wait as Zy put her uniforms inside the bag.

"Ready?" he asked.

She gave him a small smile and a nod as she slipped the carrying strap over her shoulder, and he started down the hallway. Zynalla turned to look one last time at the door the Dalish man had disappeared through. She couldn't wait until she arrived home to spread her news. Her family would be shocked about the events that had occurred today. Zy wasn't sure she believed them herself.


	4. Nothing in Life is Free

_A.N.: Thanks go to melismo for the beta. Also a shout out goes to USAF713 for his comments that made me consider the Chantry's view of the upcoming wedding._

_This chapter picks up back with Elandria and Alistair getting ready to have their talk. The first section is first person Elandria.  
_

* * *

Just as I was about to broach my concerns to Alistair, a guard knocked at the door. Evidently, there was some matter that required his immediate attention. I sighed deeply. I was going to have to get used to the constant interruptions.

Because the Alistair I had known from before had wanted nothing to do with being king, I had assumed that Eamon did most of the actual day-to-day ruling. To my surprise, Alistair was the one firmly in control. It was a new experience for me to see him step forward and lead. He had grinned almost shyly at me after the first time or two I had watched him take charge. "Quite a change from before," he had said. "Think you'll adjust to the new me?" he had asked.

I had just smiled at him. This was the Alistair I always knew he could be if he developed confidence in himself. "I'm sure I'll adjust just fine," I had assured him.

I nodded and waved him off when he threw me a questioning look. He mouthed, "Be right back," and then proceeded to follow the guard out the door.

I walked over to the window behind his desk and peered out at the view down into the garden. I knew I should take this time to really concentrate on what I wanted to say to Alistair tonight, but the memory of our first evening together after the Landsmeet kept intruding.

_When we had left the Landsmeet chamber, we had returned to the small room where Wynne, Gabe, and Spellweaver were all waiting. We retrieved all three, and Alistair led us out to the gardens. Since the Landsmeet was in session, most of Alistair's guards were on duty, and he was able to have them stake out a large area just for us. Wynne, Torin, Gabe, Kellin, Alistair, and I spent the whole day together. It was wonderful. The guards firmly turned anyone away who wanted to see the king. He promised me that the country wouldn't fall apart if he took one day to spend with his family. The day was almost magical. With the defining of Alistair and my relationship, the hostility that had developed between Alistair and Torin greatly abated as well. I will carry those memories from that day in my heart for a long time to come. _

_Once Wynne had made her excuses and returned to her quarters for the night, I had helped to settle Torin and Kellin into what would become their rooms (whether temporarily or permanently had yet to be established) while Alistair had gone looking for Eamon. Alistair eventually rejoined us in their rooms as he came in to kiss Kellin good night. After that, Alistair, Gabe, and I entered his quarters. I was actually feeling a little bit nervous. I couldn't believe I would be, but I was. From the kisses Alistair and I had shared since he found out I was alive, I knew the passion we had always felt for each other was still there. Even though we had been apart for the intervening four years, we had been lovers for nine months preceding the Landsmeet showdown with Loghain. It wasn't like we didn't know each other's needs and desires. I guess I was just nervous because it had been so long since we had been together. What if something really had changed between us? _

_I had entered his chamber ahead of him. I heard Alistair close the door and then I felt myself lifted in the air. He turned me around and pinned me against the wall beside the door with his body. His mouth dropped to claim mine possessively. I willingly opened my lips as I felt the demand of his tongue searching for mine. How long he kissed me, I don't remember. I just knew that the flare of passion that always occurred between Alistair and me seemed to have grown, not lessened, over the intervening years. I was lost in his kiss unable to think any coherent thoughts. All I could do was wrap my arms around his neck and press myself against him, willingly giving him everything he wanted. _

_Alistair groaned my name as he lifted his head and let me slide down the wall to land on my feet. He propped one arm and his forehead against the wall above me. I could hear the harshness of his breath racing in and out of him. My own breathing wasn't any better, and my body was burning for him. _

_"Alistair?" I asked questioningly as I reached out to touch his other arm. I didn't understand what was happening. Why had he let me go?_

_"Just give me a minute," he had said. "Let me regain some control." He had cracked one eyelid and looked down at me. I could see the desire I knew was reflected in my eyes. "Maker knows I've wanted to do that all day," he admitted. _

_"Yes," I agreed arching myself against him once again. "Don't stop now," I begged._

_"Woman, you are going to be the death of me," Alistair said as he pushed himself away and moved over to the chairs in front of his fireplace._

_I stayed where I was as I crossed my arms over my chest. I was confused. Was he rejecting me? It certainly hadn't felt like it a few moments ago. _

_"Come here, Lanie" Alistair said as he sat down in one of the chairs and indicated the one beside him. At first, I just looked at him, but then I pushed myself off the wall, stalked over to the chair, and dropped gracelessly into it. I knew I was pouting like a child denied a treat, but I couldn't figure out why he was pulling away._

_He reached out and took my hand between both of his. "I love you more than I ever thought possible," he began. _

_I knew he did. His actions this morning in front of every noble in the country at the Landsmeet had proved that beyond any doubt. But I also remembered four years ago after another Landsmeet when he had said those exact same words and ended up leaving me a shattered wreck on the floor of Arl Eamon's estate near the market district. Every muscle in my body clenched as he spoke. Then, I felt his fingers begin to trace swirls around the top of my hand. _

_"Eamon says the nobles are going to vote to re-confirm me as king," he told me. "They've agreed to accept Kellin as heir. They are even willing to let me marry you, with certain provisions." Before I could say anything, he continued, "No, I don't know what they are yet. Eamon and I will have to negotiate those out. The important thing is it looks like I've won. _

_"The real question is, did you? Are you going to be able to handle living here as things will be? It's not going to be easy. Almost everyone who comes to the palace will outrank you. Eamon has already told me the one thing the banns of the Landsmeet will not stand for is if I try to elevate you to the nobility. You will retain the title of Hero of Ferelden, though, which carries a lot of respect. Everyone had damn well better respect you in my presence," he growled. "I guess what I'm trying to get around to asking is, will you be happy here with no other position than as my wife?" _

_The tension had washed out of my body with his words. "Alistair, you know I never cared about rank or privilege. The only thing that matters to me is being with you and our son. Anybody else can go straight to the Maker for all I care. I never dreamed I'd ever be able to be with you. How can you ask me if it is enough for me to be your wife when that is more than I could ever have expected or hoped for? I've spent the last four years without you, and ever since our meeting in the glade, I've realized how empty a life that was. If there is a way for us to be together, then I want that, Alistair. More than you know, no matter how difficult it may be."_

_He smiled at me. "So do I. You'll never know how often I thought of you and wanted you here with me." He dropped my hand and stood up from his chair. I watched as he walked over and leaned a shoulder against the stone of the fireplace as he turned to face me. "There is another choice, you know. We could leave anyway. We could go to the Wardens in Nevarra or even the Anderfalls."_

_How I wished we could do just that and leave Denerim and kingship worries behind us. "No," I said. "That's not an option. If the nobles had voted to not re-confirm you, then we could have left without regrets. If you abandon your responsibilities because of me, it will eventually come between us. The obligations you left behind would always haunt you."_

_He grunted and picked up the poker for the fire as he turned to build up the flames again. When he was done, he sat it back down and returned to the chair beside me, picking up my hand once again. "You're right," he admitted. "Maker help me, I can't run away while I still have a duty here."_

_"It will be fine, Alistair. I have a thick skin. Remember, I grew up in the tower with templars throwing insults at us. I doubt it can be any worse than that," I told him, wanting to believe it and for him not to worry for me. He had enough to worry about. _

_"I have decided we aren't going to be together again until we are married," Alistair said seriously._

_I couldn't help it; I started to laugh. "Do you really think we'll make that?" I asked._

_Alistair grinned at me. "That's why we are getting married in four days. I can wait four days." As he continued to look at me, I swore I heard him add, "I hope."_

_I was surprised by the speed Alistair was moving. "Four days?"_

_"Why not? Every one you would want at the wedding is here. Let's have it done. I want you legally mine as soon as possible." _

_"You make me sound like a piece of property," I grumbled at him._

_He pulled on my hand and I willingly went and sat in his lap. He softly nuzzled the side of my neck as he murmured to me. "Not property. The woman I love, the one I want lying beside me every night for the rest of my life, the mother of my son, the woman who will drive me insane for the next four days."_

_"We can fix that last one. There's a bed right behind us," I pointed out. _

_"I meant what I said," Alistair declared. "The next time we are together, you will be my wife."_

_"Why? It's not like, with Kellin as the evidence, that everyone doesn't already know we've been lovers in the past." I didn't want to wait even four days. I wanted him now._

_"Why wait?" he asked. "How better to show how much I love and honor you then to wait to claim you until we are married? "_

_"So what was the bit about when we came into the room? Pushing me against the wall seems to go against your waiting until we're married edict."_

_"I said I wouldn't make love to you until you are my wife, not that I wouldn't touch you until then," he replied._

_I snuggled up against his chest as I opened the laces of his tunic and slipped my hand inside. I felt him catch his breath as I ran my hand over the warm skin and firm muscles I found there. I sent a pulse of magic through my hand and into his body. He gasped with pleasure when the jolt hit him. "So teasing is still allowed?" I asked huskily. "I just want to get the rules straight." _

_He retrieved my hand from inside his shirt and brought it up to his mouth to place a kiss on my palm. "You aren't going to make this easy, are you?" he asked. I could see the desire written in his face and eyes that he hadn't bothered to hide. _

_I looked up at him with a hint of devilry in my eyes. "I just want to make sure you know what you're depriving yourself of."_

_I was actually quite flattered. What woman wouldn't be that the man she loves is willing to put her welfare ahead of his wants? Of course, it was Alistair, so I really should have expected something like this if I hadn't let my longing for him swamp my thinking. It was only four days; I resolved I wouldn't make him suffer… well, at least not too much. _

A wave of lightheadedness pulled me out of my musing. I put my hand against the window frame to steady myself. I hoped I wasn't getting sick. It was too early in the winter to have to start battling illness.

I heard the door open as Alistair came into the room. I turned and walked over to him wrapping my arms around his waist and snuggling against him, hoping he would put his arms around me and hold me. He pulled me closer and rested his cheek on the top of my head. I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the sensation of being held once again. I vowed to never take this feeling for granted, no matter how long or short the time we were given to share. "What's the matter?" he asked as he finally broke the silence.

I hadn't wanted to, but I pushed myself away from him. Time for some serious talk. I wound my fingers through his and pulled him over to the chairs in front of his fireplace again. This seemed to be turning into our area for discussions. I sat in one of the chairs while he dropped into the one beside me, still holding my hand.

"There is something that is starting to trouble me, Alistair. The past few days, I've listened in on conversations and comments from servants, guards, nobles. Most of the humans are questioning why you don't just keep me as your mistress, and the elves I've overheard wonder if I think I'm above the rest of them and aim to prove it by marrying you. With all the good you've done in improving living conditions for the poor, the trading routes you have set up with the dwarves, the loosening of restrictions on the mages, and the positive changes in conditions for the elves in alienages; you've made such a wonderful beginning in really changing what it means to be a commoner or nonhuman in Ferelden. I don't want our marriage to jeopardize the reforms you've put in place or those you have planned for the future."

"Why do you think it would jeopardize anything?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe it wouldn't. Maybe I'm too close to the situation or it's all gone to my head and I'm placing too much importance on our wedding, but I don't want to be blind to things going on around us either."

"I think you are reading too much into what you've overheard. I'm sure it is more a case of jealousy, and the nasty remarks will die away once some time has passed and everyone realizes the world hasn't ended because we married. You are a gorgeous elven woman, the Hero of Ferelden, and I can understand why there are complaints that you are marrying outside of the elven community. At the same time, there were those who assumed after Briana left and our marriage was annulled that I would select another human queen. I'm sure there were some who hoped to be that queen," Alistair said.

I broke in, "It has nothing to do with the fact that you are a gorgeous human male, does it?"

Alistair blushed, which I found endearing. "Quit trying to side track me." He rubbed his fingers against mine as he stared into the fire before continuing. " Lanie, you are going to find, as I did four years ago, that people will talk about you regardless of how much you try to stop it. All sorts of things will be said that aren't true, but will be taken as if they come from the Maker himself. It's another not fun part of having a high profile, and no other woman in the country will have a higher profile than you, my soon-to-be wife and hero. You wouldn't have believed some of the rumors that circulated about me when I first became king. So please, don't let remarks you overhear worry you to distraction. There is just no way to stop people from talking and saying what they want to say, whether it's the truth or not."

"I understand that, Alistair, but I also know our marriage is going to have a political price that you will have to bear. I'm too new to the situation here to assess it properly, and I don't know what the cost will be. Maybe that is what is really bothering me. I'm used to carrying my own weight, and I don't want you to have to pay a price for marrying me."

"Don't you think I understood what would happen when I decided on this course of action? I never expected it to be easy, Lanie. Yes, there are going to be certain nobles who are going to want something from me because they 'allowed' me to marry you. But why don't you let me worry about any costs that may come due in the future?"

I continued to look at him while he calmly returned my gaze, waiting for my response. I was so proud of him. He had truly grown and matured in the time we had been apart. I moved from the chair into _my_ spot in his lap and leaned against him as his arms encircled me. "Okay," I said. "But when did you get so smart? You do realize our roles have now reversed. You are the leader, and I follow you."

"No, not follower, my love. Partner. I don't think either of us are cut out for the follower role any more."

"Partner," I agreed. I laid with my eyes closed listening to his heart beating for a time. I wondered if we could truly be partners when so much of his life would not include me. It didn't matter though. If being excluded from Alistair's kingship role was the price for us to be together, then I would pay it. I opened my eyes and lifted a finger to trace his jaw line. He glanced down at me. "What are you thinking?" I asked him.

I watched as a small smile played around the corners of his mouth. "I'm thinking about that bed over there," he answered.

My eyes were drawn over his shoulder to his bed, that would become _our_ bed the next day. "What about it?" I asked.

"I'm thinking that tomorrow night I'll have my wife spread across it and be doing delightfully wicked things to her body."

"Oh," I said, my mind suddenly captured by an image or two of my own devising. "That's not quite the answer I expected," I admitted. After a few seconds I added, "Good plan, though."

He smiled in response as the bells began to ring half past eight. "Maker's breath," he muttered and stirred. "I'm sorry, Lanie. I have to meet Fergus Cousland and some of the other men this evening at nine for some type of bachelor party."

"I'm supposed to drop by and see Lanaya anyway," I said as I reluctantly climbed out of his lap and let him out of the chair. "There had better not be any women at your party," I said only half teasing.

"There's only one woman for me," Alistair replied.

How could I help but love this man? He was perfect.

* * *

As Alistair was getting dressed to meet Fergus, he thought about some of what Lanie had said tonight. He had known when he originally came up with the idea of marrying her that it would be difficult and there would be resistance. He honestly didn't care though. He was determined to have both her and Kellin in his life, whatever it took. Since the nobles had re-confirmed him as king with everything Alistair planned in the open, he didn't need to feel guilty about being happy about it either. He was just glad that Lanie didn't know exactly how much resistance there was to their marriage. She didn't know about the Chantry's opposition.

Alistair hated to think it, but if he was honest, he was glad the Grand Cleric of Ferelden (yes, the same one that had tried to stop him from becoming a Grey Warden) had died only two months ago. No one had yet been appointed by the Divine in Orlais to replace her. That left Revered Mother Perpetua as the ranking cleric in Denerim, and she had about had a fit. He had endured a closed door meeting with her the day following the Landsmeet. She could have cared less that Lanie was an elf. What concerned her was the fact she was a mage. She had railed and ranted about that fact at length while Alistair had pretended to attentively listen to her. What he had really been doing was planning strategy.

When her bluster had finally run down and she was (somewhat) calmer, Alistair had started presenting his case in his most reasonable of voices. He pointed out the fact that Lanie was the Hero of Ferelden, and a Grey Warden, and had been out from under Chantry control for five years. She had managed to live all on her own for four years without a templar in sight and not turn into an abomination. In fact, the Chantry should feel safer knowing that he would be around to supervise her. Did he not have all the skills of a full templar? He also pointed out that Lanie rarely used her magic these days. There wasn't a need for combat magic now as there had been in the past. He cajoled her to remember Lanie as she had been all the times they had stopped and talked with Mother Perpetua and Sister Theohild at the Chantry when they had been struggling against the Blight.

Then, he pulled out his ace in the hole. He gave her access to Kellin. When he mentioned that the young prince would need spiritual guidance and a dependable tutor and that he had thought to come to the Denerim Chantry for assistance in this matter, she had become so quiet Alistair could almost hear her mind racing, sorting through the implications. When she had offered to take on the responsibility personally, Alistair had reacted as if that thought had never crossed his mind and had told her how much of an honor it would be. She had concurred that it would also allow her to oversee the _other_ circumstance at the palace. Alistair had promised to be guided by her if she felt the situation (Lanie in other words) was getting out of control.

He had finally gotten her to agree that, even though she wouldn't perform the marriage herself, if he could find a priest to do so, she would not forbid it. Of course, none of the priests were willing to go against the Revered Mother except for one. Dear Sister Theohild. Thank the Maker for her! Alistair just hoped Lanie never found out about any of this.


	5. Falling for the King

Well before six bells the next morning, Zynalla was outside Prince Kellin's suite with the guardian's valise over her shoulder. She hadn't wanted to chance being late on her first day. When she had arrived home last night with the news of her new position, her family had almost refused to believe her. She wasn't sure they would have if she hadn't had the uniforms to prove it.

Zy had broken with custom last night and taken a bath midweek.. Bath time was usually once a week whether you needed it or not, and everyone in the household used the same bath water. To actually be able to have a warm bath all to herself had been delightful. She had almost felt like a lady of leisure this morning as she had been able to stay in bed over an hour longer than normal, or she would have if she hadn't been so nervous. She had actually gotten up at her regular time so she could braid her hair up neatly and get dressed in her new uniform. Zy wanted to make sure she looked much different than the way she had yesterday when coming from the kitchens. She rarely had clothes that someone else hadn't worn before her, and her hands kept returning to stroke down the skirts of her new attire. Zynalla had downed the thin gruel that her sister, Crissa had made for breakfast before leaving for the day. Her father had bid her farewell and wished her good luck.

Zy was nervous as she wasn't exactly sure what was expected of her. She had checked in with the guard on the door to the prince's suite, who wasn't one that had been on duty when she had been here yesterday. He eyed her suspiciously, but had agreed to let her stand and wait a short way down the hallway when she had insisted the guardian had instructed her to be here. Zy rested her shoulders against the wall as she waited. Finally, her patience was rewarded as she saw the door to Prince Kellin's bedroom crack open. It was him, the guardian. He exited the bedroom shutting the door gently. She watched as he spoke a few soft words to the guard outside and then saw him look down the hall at her. He raised his hand and motioned for her to join him.

Zy walked quickly up to the guardian. He looked different this morning. He was dressed all in soft brown leather but had his hair done up more elaborately than he had yesterday. He had feathers and beads braided in detailed patterns as his hair twisted and turned in the myriad of small intricate plaits he had created. The ornaments in his hair made him look even more exotic when reflected against the stark blackness of the tattoos on his face. "Good morning, Guardian," she said as calmly as she could offering him his valise. "Thank you again for allowing me to use this."

He inclined his head to her and she could hear the soft clacking of the beads where they bounced off of each other. He took the valise from her hand. "You're welcome and good morning, Mistress Zynalla. This is Corporal Ross. Corporal Ross, this is Mistress Zynalla. As of today, she will be helping to take care of Prince Kellin."

The guard nodded to Zy as she dropped a small curtsey. She wasn't about to forget her manners to any of the humans that surrounded the prince. She didn't want to take a chance of losing this job before it started. "Nice to meet you, Ser," she said in her soft voice.

"Corporal will do, Mistress. I'm no ser," the man said in a friendly tone of voice.

"Come with me," said Torin leading her to the sitting room door and through, shutting it behind him. He sat the valise on the floor by the entrance and walked over and opened the bedroom door peering through to check on Kellin who was still sleeping in his bed. He partially shut the door and then indicated with his hand that Zy should take a seat on a chair.

Zy nervously sat down where the guardian had indicated, running her hands down her skirt to smooth it.

Torin sat in the chair opposite her and began speaking about her duties. He explained to her that as of yet the prince's schedule was still very fluid as they were still just getting settled into the palace. Torin told her that he had been informed that the final decision on the nanny was going to come down from the chancellor, but he didn't know when that would be. Privately, Torin thought that Elandria would throw a fit about it, but he was wisely staying in the background on _that_ issue. Until the nanny situation was resolved, Zynalla would basically be expected to be available during the day to help out as needed, whatever was needed. He listed some things he thought she would have to do such as dressing the prince, helping out with meals, cleaning in his room, possibly telling him stories and such things.

Zy was relieved. This didn't sound too hard. It sounded a lot like what she did at home on her one day a week that she was off from her job in the palace. (The elves used to not get a day off and had been expected to work seven days a week, but Alistair had changed that shortly after he had been crowned king.) It sure beat sinkfuls of dirty dishes or peeling pound after pound of potatoes.

The guardian was still speaking when a motion behind him caught her eye. As soon as he detected her attention moving from him, Torin turned around as well. Zy saw a small boy standing outlined in the door to the prince's bedroom. He was clutching a stuffed mabari to his chest. His hair was dark blonde with copper glints in it that stuck up all over his head as he obviously had just gotten out of bed. He was dressed in a long nightshirt and had bare feet. His pale blue eyes were heavy with sleep, and the right side of his face was still red from where it had pressed against the surface of his mattress.

Zy jumped up from her chair and started to curtsy to the young boy. The guardian caught her eye, frowning, and shaking his head. He indicated with his head that she should sit back down.

"Torin?" said the child questioningly, seemingly caught off guard that there was a stranger in the room.

Zy sat down as she had been bid, taking her cue from the guardian.

Torin held out his hand to Kellin. "Come here, little one. I have someone for you to meet."

Kellin ran to Torin and proceeded to climb up in his lap. Torin adjusted his position in the chair so that Kellin could snuggle again him.

"Kellin, can you say hi to Mistress Zynalla? She is going to help me take care of you for a bit."

Zy noted the softer tone in the guardian's voice when he spoke to the prince.

Kellin looked at Zy, seeming to measure her. He gave her a shy smile and then climbed up to whisper in Torin's ear, "Sparkly, pretty."

Torin wasn't exactly sure what Kellin meant by sparkly, but he had noticed that the girl looked considerably better today than she had yesterday. The tiredness was erased from her face and she looked clean and neat in the uniform he noted fit her well-shaped form. She had braided her hair this morning in such a way that the tips of her ears poked through. He liked that about her. It showed spirit. So many of the elven servants he had met in the palace since arriving tried to hide their ears, as if that would make them more acceptable to the human society they moved in. They seemed so downtrodden as to be almost colorless.

"Don't be rude, Kellin," Torin admonished him. "Say hi."

"Hi," said Kellin obediently as he sat back down in Torin's lap and rubbed his eyes with the hand he wasn't clutching his toy with.

"Hello, Prince Kellin," answered Zy not exactly sure what she was supposed to say.

"I think just Kellin will do when we are private in his rooms," Torin said to Zynalla. He looked down at Kellin. "He must still be sleepy. He's normally much more outgoing than this." Torin rose to his feet still holding the boy. "Come along, let's get Kellin dressed and have breakfast this morning, shall we?"

Zy obediently followed Torin into the prince's bedroom where they started to get him ready for the day. As Kellin became more alert, he began chattering away. There was a knock on the door. Torin went over to answer it as Zy was making up Kellin's bed. The young prince's breakfast was being delivered from the kitchen. Torin took the tray from the servant carrying it and indicated a small table in the back of the room to Zy. She walked over and pulled it out from the wall and placed a chair for the prince. "Come, Kellin," she said. "Are you ready to eat?"

Kellin eyed them suspiciously. "What's for breakfast, Torin?"

Torin walked over, sat the tray on the table, lifted up the cover over it, and said, "It looks like oatmeal."

Zy had started moving things from the tray and setting them up on the table for Kellin. She put his milk by his bowl. She was checking the temperature of the oatmeal to make sure it wasn't too hot when she heard a scream behind her.

"NO! Want pancakes. NOT oatmeal, YUCKY, Torin," declared the young prince forcefully.

Torin looked over apologetically and said in an aside to her, "He's been getting rather spoiled the past few days with only the guards to take care of him. Their approach has been to give him whatever he wants to keep him quiet."

Zy nodded in understanding as she ladled out some of the oatmeal for the prince. "Come along, Kellin," she said briskly. "I'm sure the oatmeal is delicious."

"NO!" he yelled again and jumped on his bed burying his head under the pillow.

"All right," said Zy, hoping that what she was about to do wouldn't get her fired. She pulled a chair up to the right of Kellin's place, sat down, scooped some oatmeal into an extra cup, and put a spoon in it. She placed it across the table from where she was sitting and proceeded to fill another cup with the oatmeal. "Here, Guardian. Have some breakfast," she said indicating the place across from her as she picked up her cup and calmly started eating. "I'm sure Kellin while join us when he is ready." At the first taste of the thick oatmeal, she couldn't believe it. It had apples and some sugar and spices in it and was so smooth it slipped right down her throat. It was nothing like the thin lumpy gruel she had consumed at home this morning. She eagerly ate a few more spoonfuls.

Torin raised his eyebrow at her, but seemed willing to play along. He slid another chair over to where she had indicated and picked up his cup, taking his first bite of oatmeal. "You know," he started casually. "I was hoping to have time to take Kellin to the stables before the wedding this afternoon, but I guess if he doesn't hurry and eat his breakfast, we won't be able to go."

"That would be too bad," said Zynalla. "I think a walk to the stables on such a beautiful day would be quite delightful." She looked out of the corner of her eye to see what Kellin was making of this conversation. He was peering at them from under the pillow. "I've always heard that horses' noses are very soft."

Kellin jumped up unable to contain himself. "They are! Halla's nose is the softest!" he declared.

Zy looked at Torin questioningly. "Halla is his pony," he explained softly.

In the meantime, Kellin had climbed into his chair, grabbed the spoon, and started eating his oatmeal, chattering on about horses and hallas and such the whole time.

Just as they were finishing eating while all three of them were sitting at the table, a door behind Zy opened. They were still chatting about the planned trip to the stable as Kellin jumped out of his chair yelling, "Father!"

Zy realized who it must be and snorted the spoonful of oatmeal she had just put in her mouth into her lungs in her shock. She started coughing as she tried to stand up to curtsey. As she pushed back the chair, her feet tangled in the legs. Both she and the chair ended up on the floor as her cup of oatmeal went flying across the table.

"Hey, are you all right?" asked Alistair as he watched the young elven female do a swan dive on the floor in front of him. He extended his hand down to her, which Zy didn't see as she was too humiliated to lift her head. Kellin was yanking on the leg of Alistair's pants, wanting his attention.

Zy's face flushed red as she scrambled to her knees, putting her head to the floor, too overawed and embarrassed to say anything as she frantically tried to clear the oatmeal that had gone down her trachea so she could breathe properly.

Kellin was still pulling on Alistair, "Hug, Father!"

Alistair turned away as he moved to pick the boy up and hold him.

Torin had risen from his chair and came over to lightly touch the mortified girl on the shoulder. "Stand up," he said softly, removing his hand as he picked up her chair and placed it back by the table.

Zy scrambled to her feet as the guardian had told her and backed up against the wall with her head bowed, finally getting her coughing under control, but tears were still streaming from her eyes. Zy dropped her eyes to the floor, blinking furiously to clear them. Once the tears stopped, she couldn't help stealing glances from under her lashes. The king (as that is who it must have been) was standing with his back to her and was holding his son and talking with him. The first thing Zy noticed about the king was how his presence filled the room. She was acutely aware that this was the most powerful man in Ferelden, and one word from him could result in her losing her employment at the palace.

The king turned. "So, Torin, who's your friend?" he asked in a light voice.

Zy stood barely able to breathe once again, her throat closing.

"This is Mistress Zynalla, Sire. She is going to help in the care of the young scamp in your arms."

Alistair looked at Kellin. "Have you been such a handful that Torin needs help to take care of you?"

Kellin laughed up at his father. "I'm a good boy!" he declared.

Alistair hugged him close to his chest. "I know you are, son. I know you are." He rocked him in his arms for a time while Kellin was content to allow him to do so. "You know what day this is, don't you?" Alistair finally asked him. He loosened his grip as Kellin pushed away from him.

"Family Day!" answered Kellin excitedly.

"Right! You, me, and Mamae all become a family today," said Alistair. "And Torin as well, I suppose," he added as he looked over at Torin.

Torin graciously inclined his head.

Zy stood in silence, her head bowed, listening to the talk flow around her, not wanting to draw any more attention her way. She had been surprised to hear the elven word from the king's lips.

A figure appeared in the doorway the king had entered through. "Sire," said the man.

"Yes?" said Alistair.

"The chancellor requested we inform you the messenger has arrived. They are waiting in your study for you," said Ser Hugh.

Alistair sighed. Even on his wedding day, there were matters of state to attend to. "Thank you, Hugh," he said. "Tell him, I'll be right there."

"Yes, your Majesty," said Hugh, giving him the double-fisted bow of the guards and disappearing back the way he had come.

Alistair returned his attention to the child in his arms. "I'm going to have to go now, but I will see you and Torin this afternoon."

Kellin's lower lip began to tremble suspiciously so Alistair hastened to add, "I know you will be a big boy and be good for Torin today, right?"

Kellin nodded.

"Give me a hug now," said Alistair. Kellin wrapped his arms around his father's neck and gave him a kiss as well. Alistair didn't want to put the little boy down. He wanted to carry Kellin with him all day.

Torin came over to take Kellin from the king and said, "We have to get ready for our trip to the stable, Kellin. If you hurry, there will be time to drop by and see your mamae first."

"See how lucky you are?" Alistair said to Kellin. "I've been given strict orders I can't see her until the wedding."

Kellin looked earnestly up at Alistair. "I'll give her a hug for you," he offered.

Alistair smiled at him as he started to move away. "You do that." Alistair's eyes fell on the elven servant girl still standing by the wall staring at the floor. "Mistress Zynalla," he said in a kind voice. "You take good care of Kellin. He's special to me."

Zy couldn't believe the king was talking to her. She dropped into the lowest curtsy she could manage and said barely above a whisper, "Yes, your Majesty." She felt a large hand on her shoulder pulling her up as the king continued speaking.

"Maybe someday I'll have the chance to tell you the story of a boy, a tea tray, and the Grand Cleric. My fall was much more humiliating than yours."

With that, the king swept from the room, and Zy's legs almost gave out underneath her.

* * *

Ser Niall Black, templar of the Chantry-no, no, he was simply Niall Black now, he had to remember that-was watching the abomination in making, the mage. Just two days ago, Ser Niall had been at his devotions in the Denerim Chantry when he had been summoned by the Revered Mother. Overawed at the honor shown to him, he had immediately presented himself to her. When he had been ushered into her office, he found another templar waiting there as well.

She had explained how the king was making a dreadful mistake in marrying the _mage_. Ser Niall could almost taste the vile venom that dripped from the mother's lips along with that word. She told them that the king had received permission from the council to assign a few guards to his soon-to-be wife. She had made sure that none of the guards currently in the palace would accept the assignment. After all, no one wanted to cross the Chantry to take the side of a _mage_. Ser Niall nodded his head in agreement.

The Revered Mother had a mission for the two templars, an important mission, one that could not be trusted to lesser members of the order. It was up to them to save the king. She would see that they were accepted as guards for the king's bride. They must be vigilant and aware at all times of the mage and not let it influence or take over the king's mind.

The Revered Mother knew Ser Niall had spent time at the mage tower years ago and was experienced when it came to dealing with devious mages. After all, had he not rescued two of them from demons at their Harrowing and sent them on to peace with the Maker? She told them she knew she could rely on them to defend the king with their lives and to protect everyone in the palace from the danger that was without a doubt lurking inside the mage.

Ser Niall and the other templar had left the Chantry, devoid of anything that would identify them as templars except for one thing. They carried their supplies of lyrium; they must have their lyrium. The men were both dressed in plain armor with plainer swords. Even without their customary templar armor, they were out to do battle for the Chantry and the Maker. They would protect the innocents at the palace and save them from the king's folly.

Ser Niall had been directed to a room in the palace where he had fought a severely outmatched opponent as a trial and then had been accepted into service with the Revered Mother's recommendation. When he had first met the creature, he could see why the king was fooled. It wore a lovely package, from the slim but shapely elven form, to the grace of its movements that drew the eye, the finely pointed ears that poked through the rich fall of blonde hair and just begged for your fingers to fondle them, and the pale blue eyes that could trap a man's soul. He had to remember there was a demon inside, waiting for its chance to be free.

He was unsure about one thing though. Most mages that he had been around spilled their magic like water. You could feel it surrounding them as if it leaked out of a sieve. Not this one. Her magic only showed up in flashes. At times, he couldn't even tell she was a mage. That's how well she hide what she was. No-not she-it; he had no doubt there was a demon there.

Just plain Niall Black stood vigilant behind the king's soon-to-be wife as he watched and waited.

* * *

_A.N.: Thanks to melismo for the beta and to all the readers and reviewers of the story. Shout out goes to Erynnar for the idea of using horses' soft noses that developed from messages between us._


	6. Wedding Day

After the king left the room, Zynalla could barely breathe. She couldn't believe she had fallen right at his feet. Nothing had ever happened to her before that was quite as embarrassing as this. And just when things had seemed to be going well. Her family was never going to believe her when she told them she met the king and he had actually spoken to her. Torin was still talking to Kellin so Zy picked up some napkins and went over to clean up the oatmeal that she had thrown on the floor when the cup had gone flying from her hand. Luckily, it had been almost empty so it wasn't a big mess. She was still mentally flaying herself and ready to be sent back to the kitchens when Torin broke the silence between them.

"It wasn't that big a deal, you know. It was an accident," Torin said.

Zy looked up at him disbelievingly. "I'm sure the king wants a graceless elf taking care of his son," she said scathingly.

"I think he quite likes elves. At least I know one he really does," Torin said with a smile.

"Oh, right," replied Zy, now really feeling like a fool. She decided her best course of action was just to keep her mouth shut.

"I like elves," added Kellin helpfully.

Torin just laughed. "Go ahead and load everything back up on the tray and put it outside the door in the hallway. One of the staff will be by later to return it to the kitchens," Torin told her. Zy proceeded to clean up the breakfast dishes, re-make the prince's bed, and generally pick up while Torin helped Kellin clean his teeth, wash up, and get his boots on.

Torin stuck his head out the door and called Corporal Ross into the room, informing the other two men on duty to stay and guard the rooms so no one could enter them while they were gone. "Now, Corporal Ross will lead. Mistress Zynalla, if you would be so kind as to take Kellin's hand and walk with him, I will follow behind," Torin said.

Zy held out her hand to the young boy, and he didn't have any reservations about taking it. He grasped her hand firmly and led her out the door and down the hallway behind the corporal. "Let's go, 'Nalla," he said excitedly. "I want to see Mamae!" He was racing ahead of her and pulling her down the hallway, almost past the corporal in front of them.

"Kellin," she said sharply and then modulated her tone. "Please, don't yank on me. I will come with you, but let's walk together calmly."

Kellin made a face, but said, "Yes, 'Nalla." He slowed down and walked beside her. "You'll like my mamae. She's the bestest one in the whole world."

Zy wasn't sure she was up to encountering both of the prince's parents in one day, especially if meeting his mamae went as well as the introduction to his father. She glanced back at Torin with alarm in her eyes.

Torin took pity on her. "You can wait outside the door if you really want. You don't have to go in with us," he offered.

Zy let out her breath in relief. When they reached Elandria's rooms, Torin sent Corporal Ross to the kitchens for his meal break and then took Kellin in to see his mamae while Zy waited beside the door for them. Zy was glad to wait outside as she could hear the voices of quite a few people in the room. She imagined that with the wedding this afternoon that Kellin's mamae was being attended to by all her friends. Zy was standing down the hallway just a bit from the door and was busy trying to remember all the nursery rhymes she knew so she could tell them to the prince. She wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings or the people passing her in the hallway.

"Girl, I said, what are you doing just standing around?" a harsh voice broke into her thoughts.

Zy looked up the passage to see a large human woman bearing down on her.

"Why are you loafing around up here?" asked the woman. "There is plenty of work to be done on the first floor before this afternoon. Get yourself down there now," she ordered.

Zy bobbed a small curtsey. "I'm sorry, Mistress. I'm to wait here for the young prince," she said in her soft voice.

"And I'm the Hero of Ferelden," said the woman. "Get your lazy butt back to work right this instant."

"I-I'm sorry," stammered Zy, "But I really can't. The prince is inside his mamae's room here and I'm to wait for him."

"No more lies, girl," said the woman as she cruelly gripped Zy's arm and started to pull Zy along behind her.

Zy wrenched her arm away and ran for the door that Kellin and the guardian had disappeared through. She hurriedly knocked before the woman could grab hold of her again.

Torin had been staying as far away from the group of women who were crowding around Elandria as he could. He just didn't understand this fascination women had for weddings. He was leaning against the wall by the door as Kellin was fussed over and petted. Therefore, when the knocking started, he turned to answer it.

He opened the door and was greeted by the sight of a human woman dressed in the palace uniform holding Mistress Zynalla's arm firmly at what had to be a painful angle as she started forcing her down the hallway.

"Let go of her," he barked at the woman.

The woman, surprised at Torin's appearance and tone of voice, let go of Zy's arm. Zy rubbed it with her other hand as she scooted over to stand by Torin.

"What's the problem?" he asked, looking at Zy, not realizing how intimidating the tattoos on his face made his frown look.

"Mistress wishes me to help with the work downstairs. I tried to tell her that I was to wait here for the prince," said Zynalla.

Torin looked at the woman, "Who are you?" he asked.

The woman was a little taken back at this elf's attitude and body language, but with a sinking feeling she realized who he must be, especially with the tattoos and daggers on his back. The talk of the wild elf who was the prince's personal guard had quickly traveled through all the servants in the palace. "I'm Mistress Alma," said the woman. "I'm in charge of the maids."

"This girl isn't a maid," said Torin. "She is assigned to the prince. She will not be accompanying you anywhere."

By this point, Elandria had noticed that Torin was occupied in the hallway and had come to investigate the situation. "Torin, is something wrong?" she asked from just inside the door to her room.

"It's okay, Elandria," he replied. "I'll take care of this."

"All right," she said, but stayed standing where she was.

Alma's face went pale as she realized exactly how badly she had misjudged the situation with the girl she had thought was simply goofing off. "Fine," Alma said. "I'll just be getting back to my own work now."

"Very well," said Torin and he turned away in dismissal.

Alma was taken off guard by his abruptness. She had never had an elf act like this around her before as she only had experience with the subservient alienage elven servants in the palace. _Someone needs to take him down a peg or two_, she thought as she moved down the hallway.

Zy couldn't believe her luck this morning. First falling in front of the king and now this.

"What was that about?" Elandria asked Torin.

Torin said. "This is Mistress Zynalla. She started this morning in helping to take care of Kellin. It seems that one of the other servants wanted her help elsewhere and was being rather insistent. Mistress Zynalla, this is Elandria, Kellin's mamae."

Zy was even more flustered meeting her than she was the king. The Hero of Ferelden! She was a legend in the alienage. After the Blight, the Denerim Alienage had been proud to claim her as one of their own. Zy started to drop into a deep curtsey.

Elandria said, "None of that now. You don't curtsey to me and no 'my Lady' nonsense either. It's Elandria or Warden, if you prefer."

Zy stopped awkwardly in mid motion and returned to a standing position, not sure what she should say. Elandria turned and called for Kellin. She draped her arms around his neck affectionately as he came over and leaned against her.

"Are you being a good boy for Mistress Zynalla and Torin, today?" she asked.

Kellin smiled sheepishly up at his mamae, "Sort of," he answered honestly.

Elandria looked at Zy questioningly.

Zy cleared her throat and said barely above a whisper, "He didn't want to have his breakfast, but he did eat it eventually."

"It was oatmeal, Mamae. Yucky," he said earnestly.

Elandria laughed. "I know you don't like it. Perhaps, we can send down and let the kitchen know what you really prefer for breakfast. Let me think…hum," Elandria pretended to concentrate. "It couldn't be PANCAKES, could it?"

The little boy giggled and yelled, "Yes!"

Zy smiled in spite of herself.

"Elandria!" Wynne called. "Come on, we need to start getting you ready."

"Coming, Wynne," she answered in a long-suffering tone. "Mistress Zynalla, it was nice to meet you. I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you.

"Just Zynalla, please or Zy," she replied. "It was an honor to meet you."

Elandria smiled at Zy and then moved back into the room taking Kellin with her.

Once Elandria was gone, Torin looked over at Zynalla with a grin on his face, "I don't know who gets into more trouble, you or Kellin."

"It wasn't my fault," said Zy blushing. "I was just standing by the door waiting like I was supposed to."

Torin was still grinning as he said, "Let's head to the stables. Hopefully, you can stay out of trouble there."

* * *

After the wedding was over, Torin took Kellin and headed back to their rooms where Zynalla was waiting. Luckily, their jaunt to the stables and back had gone without a hitch. She and Kellin were now firm friends as they had checked all the horses in the stable, and Zy had to admit that Halla's nose was indeed the softest. Zy wanted the guardian to understand that she wasn't trouble and that she was a dependable person he could rely on to help with the prince. Zy was to accompany them to the reception later that evening to help keep an eye on Kellin during the event. He was being allowed to go for a bit before his bedtime as a treat and also to allow him to interact with the assembled guests. As much as Elandria _hated_ the idea of political motives affecting Kellin's life, she knew there were certain things that just had to be done because of who he was. Torin had apologized for keeping Zynalla late this evening and explained he didn't expect her to work such long hours everyday. Zy had quickly brushed aside his concern by commenting it was much easier work than she was used to in the kitchens.

As Alistair and Elandria left the small Chantry in the palace where the ceremony had taken place, she couldn't stop smiling up at her new husband. He held tightly to her right hand as if he would never let her go. Elandria couldn't quit playing with the simple gold band that Alistair had placed on her left hand during the ceremony. She kept rubbing it with her thumb as if to make sure it was really there. She was as happy today as she had ever been. She just couldn't believe she was really Alistair's wife and nothing could ever come between them again.

Alistair knew how lucky he was. If circumstances hadn't happened in just the right order and at just the right times, he never would have been able to marry Lanie and retain the throne, but the important thing was they had and he_ did _marry her. She was his from this day forth, and no one would ever be able to keep them apart again. When the wedding had started and she had walked up the aisle to him, he thought she had never looked more beautiful. She had almost taken his breath away with her smile.

The contrast between his two marriage ceremonies had been striking. His wedding to Briana had been an affair of state with all the pomp and circumstance that had called for. They had made grand formal promises to each other in front of what had seemed like half the country and had been married by the Grand Cleric herself. At the time, he'd had every intention of honoring those promises he had made to Briana, but circumstances had changed those intentions. The vows he made today to Lanie were simpler, those from a man to a woman instead of a king to a queen, but to him, they carried more meaning. Every word they had spoken had rung with the honesty of their feelings for each other, and they had both had unshed tears in their eyes when Sister Theohild had pronounced them man and wife. He thought even Eamon was happy for him today.

Since the wedding itself had been private, Alistair's household staff had arranged a special informal gathering before the main reception that night. Those invited included only the upper reaches of the nobility such as Fergus Cousland, Teyrn of Highever; Ranald Stewart, Teyrn of Gwaren; Arl Wulff, Arl Bryland, Arl Teagan, Arl Vaughn and their families.

Eamon was chatting lightly with Arl Wulff when Alistair and Elandria walked in. He thought that they made a nice-looking couple as her petiteness and mane of blonde hair contrasted nicely with Alistair's build and his darker coloring. There had obviously been some planning done between the servants who dressed them because Elandria's blue, red, and silver was matched by Alistair's silver and blue attire. Eamon was worried about this marriage and whether Elandria would really be accepted as Alistair's wife, but he had noticed how happy Alistair had seemed since she had re-entered his life. He hoped that for Alistair's sake things would go smoothly for the pair.

* * *

_First person Elandria _

As I walked into what Alistair and I were jokingly calling "the nobles' reception" on Alistair's arm, that's when it truly became real to me. Alistair and I were _married_ with all the rights and duties that state conveyed. In all the whirl the last few days, I had put off thinking about what it meant or what my life would be like afterwards. I had honestly been expecting that something would stop the wedding at the last minute. I was amazed it had gone off without a hitch.

As I turned my gaze across the sea of faces looking at us, a few other realizations hit me. Alistair and I had touched on this in our talk the other night, but it hadn't really sunk in until now. For the first time in my life, I really had no position except for what Alistair decreed for me; I filled no job or function in the palace except to make the king happy. The past years we had been separated Alistair had spent growing into his role as king while I had lived quietly in isolation with the Dalish and rearing our son. Even my role as Kellin's mother would be diminished as he would be raised to be a prince and a king, and my skills would not be appropriate for what he needed to learn to satisfy those expectations. Yes, I could insist on the Warden title, but was I really a Warden anymore if I wasn't working for the order and killing darkspawn? I wasn't a mage of the Circle anymore either, but that had been true since Jowan and my subsequent departure from the tower at Duncan's side. Just who was I now? That was a question I would have to answer, if only for myself.

As I walked across the room with my feet already aching from the unaccustomed fancy shoes, I thought that I would have to get used to them. I would be expected to follow fashion and dress appropriately for events that I would have to attend with Alistair. At least I felt I looked good today. Ciannata's skill as a lady's maid certainly couldn't be called into question. I had just placed myself into her capable hands and allowed her free rein in attire and adornment. She hadn't let me down.

I must admit I felt a little flash of panic at the thought of how dependent I was on Alistair and his goodwill. _His_ actions these next few days would determine just how I was treated by those around us. I must have either clutched at his arm at that thought or he was picking up some of my disquiet. He softly said, "What's wrong, my love?" as we were drifting to the next group of people Alistair needed to talk to.

With those words, some of my panic left me. Alistair would never treat me as any less than his equal. He wouldn't allow others to treat me badly, and there was the rub. I wanted and needed to _earn_ my place here and not have it issued from another, no matter how much I loved him.

"Nothing," I replied to him just as quietly. "I was just thinking about how life changes and hoping I don't embarrass you tonight."

Alistair stopped walking and leaned down to put his lips to my ear. "You could never embarrass me. Just imagine them all in their small clothes. That was the advice Teagan gave me the first time I had to brave a roomful of nobles." My eyes flew to his in surprise and a grin spread across his face.

"Boys, both of you," I said with a laugh as he banished my worries for the moment. While I looked up at him, I saw his eyes change as our glances locked and held. I wasn't prepared for the open expression of desire on his face. I stood frozen, captured by his gaze, much as a mouse does before a cat, knowing it is prey. I was only freed when Fergus Cousland came up to Alistair and claimed his attention. Alistair turned to speak to the teyrn, who was on his other side, thereby giving me a minute or two to recover. I listened to Alistair's conversation with Fergus and had regained my composure by the time I was required to speak.

"Thank you, your Grace," I replied to his well wishes.

"Fergus, please," he said unctuously.

Before I could reply, another man and woman joined us.

"Ranald! Aileen!" exclaimed Alistair. "How good to see you again. You must meet Elandria. My love, this is Ranald, Teyrn of Gwaren and his wife, Aileen."

The teyrn was an older man with his hair trending toward steel gray. He was of medium height and had dark brown eyes. You could still see the strength in his body, although muscle was being overcome by a layer of fat that showed good living was starting to take its toll. His wife was a few years younger, still retaining some of her light brown hair mixed with the gray, which was done up in braids and two buns at her neck, just like the fashion Anora used to wear. I wondered if it was a Gwaren style.

"Nice to meet you both, Teyrn Ranald and Teyrna Aileen," I said with an incline of my head.

"Warden, it is our honor to meet the person who saved us all from the Blight," said the teyrn with a small bow and a smile. The teyrna gave me a slight smile and returned my nod.

I knew Alistair genuinely liked this man. He had explained to me that making Ranald Stewart Teyrn of Gwaren had been his first decision without Eamon's approval. Eamon had wanted to select one of the known loyal banns from the north for the position. Alistair had disagreed and wanted to choose one who had been sworn to Loghain. He thought the resentment the men of the south felt would be reduced that way. Ranald Stewart had been one of the few who had come to Alistair's coronation from Gwaren, and Alistair had liked him immediately. Alistair had told me earlier that he had never regretted giving the man the title.

"Where is that son of yours?" asked Alistair. "I was hoping to finally meet him."

"I was expecting him by now, your Majesty," admitted the teyrn. "He was supposed to have joined us at our Denerim estate, but he must have been held up. Perhaps late fall storms made the roads worse than expected."

"Ranald! How many times have I told you the name is Alistair?" the king asked.

"Many, your Majesty," replied the teyrn. Alistair just gave a rueful shake of the head.

"Ranald's son has been studying in Tevinter for the past five years. I was looking forward to finally meeting him now that he has returned home," Alistair explained to me.

"I hope your son arrives soon and in excellent health, your Grace," I said. "I too shall look forward to meeting him."

We continued on greeting and talking with the nobility of Ferelden. I stayed at Alistair's side saying as little as possible. Most of the men were friendly enough. No, the men didn't worry me; it was with the women that I knew the trouble would lie. I would have to watch out for the snakes in the grass that would be looking for a chance to trip me up and make me look a fool. There may be one or two in the crowd that meant the kind words that poured from their lips, but I knew better than to take any of it at face value. My years in the tower and the traveling and interacting with all levels of society that had been necessary when fighting the Blight had taught me many lessons. Trust was something I had learned to extend to very few. I knew I would have put a wrench in more than one woman's plans when it came to Alistair. After the annulment of his marriage, he would have become the object of many matrimonial matchmaking plans. I just didn't know which of the gathered women had seriously thought they could have captured the king's attention and become queen, or had held the same hope for their daughters.

As we were leaving the room, I took the opportunity to glance back over my shoulder and see if I could catch any clues to what people really thought when they didn't think they were being observed. I almost fell as my vision blurred and the room seemed to spin around me for a moment or two. Only my natural agility and my hand on Alistair's arm kept me from landing on the floor at his feet.

"Are you all right?" Alistair asked as he steadied me.

"Fine," I answered him as my vision cleared and the hallway settled around me. "Just a combination of too much excitement, not enough to eat, and these sodding shoes!"

I was slowly becoming used to the guards that were a continuous part of our lives. Alistair had even retained a few for me. I had argued with him long and hard against it, but had eventually given in when he had stood firm. The guards, both his and mine, fell in around us as we left the dining room where the small party had been held and started up the hall. Alistair stopped and turned to me as our entire entourage came to a halt when he did.

"Have I told you today how gorgeous you look?" he asked .

I was embarrassed with all the men surrounding us, but Alistair seemed to think it the most natural thing in the world. At times, I was caught by surprise at the changes in Alistair from how I remembered him as I came up against totally new aspects of his character. Underneath he was still Alistair, the man I had fallen in love with years ago, but the new layers that made him the king of Ferelden still seemed strange to me.

I furtively looked around, but the guards all seemed to have blank faces and to be acting as if they weren't hearing any of our conversation. I went up on tiptoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for the compliment," I said softly. "Just how much time do we have before the main reception?"

He dropped his voice, "Not enough. When I finally get you naked against me again I plan on not having a time limit."

I blushed as I didn't dare look at any of the men standing around us. I could be bold in private when it was just he and I, but we had never been openly demonstrative in the past, even in front of our friends in camp. Alistair laughed and then caught me up. "Get used to it, Lanie. The guards are here to stay," he said. He continued in a louder voice, "Turn away, gentlemen, I wish to kiss my wife."

I barely had time to notice the guards obediently facing away before Alistair consumed all my attention. He covered my mouth with his with an intensity I wasn't expecting from him, and all worries about the guards flew out of my head. I was helpless under his onslaught and melted against him like chocolate on a hot summer's day. As all my longing for him over the past four years came roaring to the surface, he was my only stability, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for dear life. Alistair murmured my name as he kissed up my ear and ran his fingers through my hair, pulling out pins and discarding them, so that it cascaded freely down my back. He buried his fingers in my hair as he continued his assault upon me. He disrupted all of Ciannata's hard work from earlier in the day, but I didn't care. Feeling his touch again was worth all the time it would take to repair the damage. I was too caught up to notice the swift turning of the head of one of the guards when my magic flared unbidden as I began to lose myself in the feelings Alistair was stirring up. I knew Alistair had felt my magic spike and that was why he pulled away as he rested his forehead against the crown of my head. We both stood there, chests heaving like bellows, as the hunger for each other coursed through us.

"Wow," said Alistair softly, still not moving away from me.

"Wow, indeed," I replied as my breathing slowly returned to normal,.

"I think marriage to you agrees with me. Want to skip the reception?" Alistair asked with a devilish look in his eye and a smile lurking on his lips.

"More than you'll ever know," I answered, understanding that wasn't possible, but desperately wishing that it was.

Reluctantly, Alistair pulled away from me. He ran a finger across my bottom lip. "I guess we'll have to go to our rooms so your maid can fix you up again. I much prefer this well-kissed look, but I think I'll keep it for my personal pleasure."

I reached up and ran my finger across his lips removing the smears of cosmetics that Ciannata had painstakingly applied to mine this morning. "I'm not the only one needing attention," I said.

He was quick to come back with, "Is that an offer?"

I laughed in response and playfully batted him in the arm before I took it once again. Our entire retinue started to move down the hallway as we headed towards _our _quarters for the first time, leaving a scattering of abandoned hairpins behind us. Surely, I can survive one reception. It's only a couple of hours. How bad could it be?

* * *

_A.N.: Many thanks as always to melismo and to everyone who reads, reviews, and adds the story to alerts and favorites. Those email notices really keep the mind churning out ideas._


	7. Moments from the Reception

The reception was not at all what Elandria had expected. It had started out with she and Alistair being presented. The master of ceremonies who had been announcing everyone as they arrived called out their titles. True to the nobles' demand that she not use the Theirin name publicly, she was introduced as Warden Elandria Surana, Hero of Ferelden. She had to smile when Alistair leaned over and said, "Elandria Theirin, my love."

The two of them swept majestically into the room. Well, Alistair did anyway. Elandria just tried not to fall over in her shoes. The next thing she had to endure was a receiving line of people she couldn't have cared less about meeting. However, she did her duty and smiled graciously, nodded her head when appropriate, and tried to keep her comments to a minimum. She let Alistair do most of the talking. It turns out he was pretty good at doing that; it must have been all the practice.

Finally, that was over and they could move to the tables and get something to eat. Elandria was starving. First, they had to suffer through a toast from Teagan, which, thank the Maker, didn't take too long, and then they could get down to the food. Dinner was bearable because she had Alistair on one side and Kellin on the other. Both Torin and Zynalla stood near the prince's chair, Zy ready to assist with anything he needed and Torin ever vigilant for Kellin's protection. Eamon, Isolde, Teagan, and Wynne were also at the head table along with the teryns and their families. Lanaya was seated with some of the other council members farther back in the room.

There would be dancing later, but Elandria had flatly refused to dance. She had never done so in her life, and she wasn't about to start now. Alistair was hoping he could convince her to take some lessons just as he had years ago. He had been surprised to discover that he enjoyed sweeping around the dance floor with a willing woman in his arms. He couldn't help but think how much better would it be if it was Lanie he was dancing with.

The affair was being conducted in the Grand Dining Room which was set up with the head table, a generous open area in front of that, and then rows of tables filling the rest of the room where everyone had sat to eat. This was decorated with oaken hand-carved woodwork, dark green carpets on the floor, and tapestries on the walls depicting famous (and not so famous) moments in Ferelden history. There was one of the Battle of River Dane, a fanciful rendition of what was supposed to be the Battle of White Valley (the last major battle before Calenhad was crowned king in Denerim), along with many others. There was even one that dealt with the history of the mabari. There were hanging candelabra throughout the room to provide lighting as well as some strategically placed mage lights the tranquil made. As this was the room where all formal affairs of state happened, it was located on the first floor adjoining the palace gardens. All along the outer wall of the room were large windows/doors that opened up to a veranda and allowed ventilation. This room was connected to a large ballroom where a small grouping of musicians had been hired to play for the nobles' pleasure.

Shortly after dinner was over, Kellin was sent to bed for the night, and Alistair and Elandria had started making a circuit of the room together. Whenever they would get momentarily separated by the press of people, Elandria could feel Alistair's eyes on her. She knew she was still affected by their kiss earlier and couldn't wait until they could leave the party and _finally_ be together again. Alistair had been dragged off to the side of the room by Eamon for a quick conference, and Elandria was standing talking with the Arlessa of Denerim, who seemed a nice enough person. All of a sudden, Elandria heard a familiar voice that she hadn't heard in years.

"My beautiful Grey Warden, is it really you?"

Elandria quickly excused herself to the arlessa. She couldn't tell where the voice was coming from and half thought she was imagining it. She began looking frantically around her as she started moving through the crowd of people.

"My Warden," came the voice again, this time behind her.

Elandria spun around and saw his familiar slim form, topped off by the blond hair pulled away from his face and the tattoos on his cheeks. "Zev!" she shrieked as she launched herself at him. As she hugged him, he picked her off the ground and spun her around ignoring the mass of people surrounding them and the looks they were getting. As he sat her back down on her feet, he kissed her chastely on the mouth overjoyed that his friend was really and truly alive.

Alistair had been watching Elandria the whole time Eamon had been talking to him. Ever since their kiss earlier, he was hyperaware of her and couldn't wait to get her alone. Alistair grinned when he saw Zevran approach Lanie. _Leave it to Zevran. I'm not surprised at all he made it here tonight. _He broke into Eamon's stream of conversation. "Later, Eamon," he said. "I have to go." With that Alistair made his way as rapidly as he could to the pair. He figured he had better get over there before someone made up a story that his wife's elven lover had shown up at the reception.

"Zevran Arainai, unhand my wife," Alistair said as he reached out, pulled Zev into a loose hug, and then released him. "It's bad enough you've already kissed her in public before me. Maker, is it good to see you!"

"You've become a jealous husband already, have you, your Majesty? Ah, but who could blame you with such a vision of loveliness as your bride," Zevran replied as he gallantly took Elandria's hand and placed a kiss upon her fingers.

Elandria laughed, took her hand back, and tucked it into the crook of Alistair's arm. "Zevran, you never change. How have you been?" Looking at him, she could see he had obviously been doing very well for himself. He was wearing a stunning white Orlesian silk shirt decorated with Tevinter lace at the throat and sleeves under a green jerkin that had obviously been tailored for his body. He had matched that up with soft black leather pants and boots. Yes, Zevran was looking very fine, although she had to admit it was strange to see him in anything but his drakeskin armor and without his sword hilts sticking up from behind his back.

"It's enough to say that my luck has held the past years, and I am now free to indulge myself as I see fit. We can discuss my activities more later, but come this is a celebration, no? After the trip on board ship from Antiva, I feel the need for some serious… gratification.

* * *

Wynne, Elandria, and Zevran were all standing together catching up on what had been happening in each other's lives the last few years. Zevran's only contribution was that he had handled the situation with the Crows. Elandria knew that he wouldn't reveal anything else in such a public venue.

"I am curious about one thing, Zev," said Elandria. "How did you know to come?"

"Now that is an interesting story," replied Zevran. "Would you like to explain, my darling Wynne?"

"Certainly, Zevran. I'll give you the short story," said Wynne. "After Moira's death, Alistair was in such a bad state I decided to stay on in Denerim. By this time, Zevran had been back in contact with Alistair and they had set up a message drop system. I merely requested that my messages to him be sent the same way and Alistair was kind enough to agree. In one of my missives, I included a ring with a preset spell that only required activation. When the ring heated up, Zevran would know that he was needed here. The night Alistair returned from the glade, he told me about you and Kellin, and I triggered the spell that night."

"A little warning would have been nice," broke in Zevran. "I assumed if it ever heated up it would be warm, not scorching. I barely got it off in time to prevent a burn. I had to carry it in a pouch for two days because it was so hot." He raised his right hand and showed Elandria a simple gold ring on his pinkie finger. "It came at a good time for me, and I was able to quickly wind up my business in Antiva and take ship for Ferelden. I arrived in the city late last night and immediately began searching for news. Imagine my surprise on hearing of your return from the dead." Zevran continued in a lower voice that Elandria knew came right from the assassin's heart, the one he had been accused so many times of not having, "The news of your and Alistair's marriage was a lesser surprise. I'm very happy for you, my beautiful Warden. It does me good to be able to erase those memories of you and your unhappiness all those years ago with the joy I see in your eyes tonight whenever they land on Alistair."

* * *

Elandria was overcome by everyone in the room. After all her time in the Dalish camp, there were just too many people present. The stench of the crowd was making her head ache. Her guards had been following her as she circulated, but thankfully they had been given instructions to stay to the sides of the room. By working her way through the mass of people in the center, she was able to unobtrusively slip out one of the doors to the veranda, losing her guards in the process. She was relieved that there weren't many people out here. She leaned against the wall beside the door she had exited, enjoying the cooler air. She was hoping she and Alistair could leave soon. After all, they were the newlyweds, surely they weren't expected to stay until the end of the party. The breeze kicked up slightly and Elandria enjoyed the extra coolness it brought. She closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to drift.

Elandria realized that she hadn't thought about the desire demon in weeks as it had been leaving her alone in the Fade. She assumed it was out tempting other souls, but she knew that when its other business was complete, the demon would return its attention to her. As was so easy to do, she had just ignored the situation while it left her in peace. She was going to need to do something about the issue soon, including confessing to Alistair about the ties she had allowed it to make to her. She wasn't looking forward to that conversation. As she was thinking this, she heard a group of people moving through the room on the other side of the wall come to a halt by the door, and their voices carried clearly to her in the night air.

"Well, at least she cleans up decently and isn't an embarrassment in that regard," said a woman.

"I still can't believe he actually went through with it. My Rodric was sure he would have called the wedding off before it happened," said a second.

"She_ is_ a mage. Maybe she has him under a spell and forced him to marry her," replied the first.

"According to servant's gossip, she refused him her bed until he married her and has been sleeping in her own room in the palace," came a third person's input.

"I just wish the king and Lady Briana could have settled their differences. She made a fine queen, and they were such a striking couple."

"Have you seen the way he watches her? Disgusting, if you ask me," sniffed another voice.

"You're just jealous, Fenella," a more familiar voice broke in. "You wish a man would look at you like that."

"Iona, you're just glad Vaughn _doesn't_ pay you any attention," retorted Fenella.

"You're right about that," agreed Iona, Arlessa of Denerim. "Ever since Cailan was born last year, Vaughn leaves me strictly alone, and it doesn't hurt my feelings in the least. I think the king's consort is nice, just quiet and very self-contained."

Elandria overheard one last comment as the group began moving away from her position.

"I still think it's a shame he couldn't have chosen someone more suitable, at least worthy of being our queen. Rodric wonders what other decisions he is making that aren't suitable."

Elandria stood there for a few seconds before she became aware of a small noise to the side of her. "Did you hear?" she asked.

Zevran emerged from the shadows. "I heard," he replied. "Surely, you didn't expect this to be a walk in the park, like say raising an army and ending a Blight?" he asked.

"I didn't expect that our marriage would be accepted easily," she said seriously. "I was prepared for opposition. What I didn't count on was Alistair's capability to be king called into question."

Elandria let her breath out and dropped her head back against the wall, "Did I make a mistake, Zev? Should I have refused him? I wanted what he offered so badly I didn't care what it would take to make it happen. Do you think marrying me has damaged his ability to rule?"

"I think Alistair is grown up enough to know what he wants. It seems he is also wise enough to get it. I understand he masterfully manipulated the entire Landsmeet. I believe the expression is he had them over a barrel, yes?"

"True," acknowledged Elandria. "He was magnificent. Once I recovered from my shock, I was so proud of him."

"Besides, my beautiful Grey Warden, it's a little late now to second guess the decision since the marriage has already happened, and I understand there is also a child."

"Yes," said Elandria with a slight smile. "Kellin. He is a wonder. I can't wait for you to meet him."

"I look forward to that very much," Zevran said.

Elandria was just getting ready to speak again when she let out a groan. "Don't look now, but here come my keepers." Sure enough, her guards were bearing down on her and Zevran, and they didn't look happy.

* * *

Elandria had been seated at the table where members of the council were sitting. They included: Gorim for the dwarves; Lanaya and Valendrian for the elves; Sister Elizabeth for the Chantry; Elspeth for the mages; Ser Braden; and Ser Tavin, who led the council, was also present with his wife. Of course, she knew Gorim, Elspeth, Lanaya, and Valendrian from before, but she was happy to meet the others as she knew Alistair spent a lot of his time with the council. She eventually rose from her seat so she could rejoin Alistair. She thought it was about time they took their leave from the event. He was standing in the middle of the room in front of the head table talking with Teyrn Cousland.

As Elandria stood up, she felt the presence of the two guards she had managed to sneak away from earlier fall into position behind her. They were being careful to stay much closer than they had prior in the evening. She turned to swing her legs over the bench and stand up. As she did, she saw something that froze her heart. Along the edge of the room not far from the head table itself, a man in court dress was just lifting a loaded hand crossbow. She reacted in a flash without even thinking about it. She turned to face Alistair, already casting. As the Force Field spell left her, she screamed "ZEV!" as loud as she could and tried to run for Alistair. She had taken no more than two steps before she felt a force smash into her whole body that caused her to fall painfully to the floor. _I've been smited. Some templar bastard has SMITED me! _

* * *

Niall Black had been paying close attention to the mage ever since she had managed to slip he and his partner's guard. As she had stood up from the bench she had been sitting on, he was caught by surprise when he felt her gathering her magic. He tried to Holy Smite her before she cast whatever evil spell she had in mind, but the Maker-cursed mage was just too quick. He had let the Revered Mother down by allowing the mage to cast a spell. Well, he would just make sure she didn't do that again by taking all her magic. He inhaled deeply as the pleasure from the mage's magic entering his body from the mana drain hit him. This was always the best part of smiting a mage. The power he felt from absorbing their mana was almost sensual.

* * *

Alistair had been joking with Fergus Cousland when he thought he felt a familiar gathering of energies in the room. This was followed almost instantly by the sensation of Lanie's magic wrapping around him. He could have resisted it with his templar's abilities of course, but he had been the recipient of so many of her spells when they were fighting the Blight, it was instinctive for him not to. The spell surrounded him and then he knew no more. He never felt the crossbow bolt that bounced off the center of his chest when it hit the spell that protected him.

* * *

Zevran had missed dinner so Alistair had asked one of the servants to bring something for him to eat. He was sitting at the head table where Alistair had insisted on placing him and having a wonderful conversation with the most interesting dinner partner he had had in weeks. As much as he loved the sultry women of Antiva, he must admit his time in Ferelden had given him an appreciation for variety. Lady Ailsa was exactly the type of woman Zevran most liked to spend time with, long on looks and short on brains. He had been making her giggle with all his innuendos when he felt the hair on the nape of his neck rise. By the time he distantly heard Elandria's shout, he had spotted the assassin and was already in motion. He jumped up on the table, ran down it about twenty feet as his flying feet sent dishes crashing, and vaulted off the other side in a compact forward roll. As his legs whipped over his head tumbling him through the air, he pulled out the throwing knives that were concealed in his boots. He landed lightly on the balls of his feet, with his knives in his hands, and pushed off the floor as he used the momentum of his roll to send him forward into motion.

* * *

The crossbowman couldn't believe his eyes when his bolt bounced off the chest of the king. Was the man wearing armor underneath that shirt? No problem, he would just take a head shot and eliminate the king that way. He quickly started to cock and reload the crossbow.

At first no one seemed to realize what had happened, but then screams began to ring out and people started running towards the exits. The assassin cursed to himself as he was afraid his shot would be blocked in the commotion or by one of the quicker-thinking guards. As he was pulling the bow back up to get ready to aim, he saw a blur out of the corner of his eye. He held onto his crossbow with one hand as he went for his dagger with the other, pulling it and slashing out in one motion.

* * *

After Elandria hit the floor, she could feel a pull on her magic as it began to drain away. With her anger flaring at the realization that she had been smited, she almost snarled. _Oh no, you don't, you misbegotten Chantry whoreson! _She shut her eyes and turned her concentration inward to the channel where she imagined she could feel her mana being drawn off. She visualized it as a thick rope, and she gave it a mental yank and then held tight, halting the flow of her magic. She opened her eyes and from where she was lying on the floor she saw one of the guards lurch. _I see you, templar. I'll deal with you later. _

* * *

Niall Black was thoroughly enjoying the feel of the mage's mana entering his body. When the flow was suddenly cut off, he stumbled forward in shock. This mage did things with her magic that were outside his experience, and he wasn't sure how to deal with her. He had never heard of a mage stopping a mana drain.

* * *

Zevran was at a disadvantage as his knives didn't have the reach of the other man's dagger. He knew he had to end this quickly. He jumped backwards when the man slashed at him and sent the first of his knives into motion. It sped from his hand and embedded itself in the assassin's biceps, causing him to drop the crossbow. Zevran circled as the man followed him and continued to make threatening gestures with the dagger. Zevran was considering the best way to take the other down without causing permanent damage so he could question him when one of Alistair's guards unexpectedly ran the man through with his sword from behind. Zevran cursed and dropped to the floor beside the assassin hoping to have time to interrogate him, but it was too late. The man was too far gone. Zevran retrieved his knife from the man's arm and carefully examined and removed the dagger from the assassin's hand. He then quickly turned his attention to the crossbow and picked it up. He noticed it was able to be disassembled, and his deft elven fingers made quick work of taking it apart and stowing the pieces on his person, taking extra care with the loaded bolt.

* * *

Elandria pushed herself up off the floor and turned in the direction of Alistair in time to see a guard with a sword pierce the body of the man who had held the crossbow. She moved rapidly towards Alistair and through the guards that were starting to congregate around him as her spell still held him immobile. Hugh was bellowing orders, but Elandria spared no attention for anyone but Alistair. Just as she was about to try pulling her magic back, the spell broke and Alistair was free. She immediately started running her hands over his body as if to reassure herself that he wasn't hurt.

"I'm fine, Lanie," he said. Elandria continued her frantic checking of his body without pause. Alistair grasped her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. "I'm all right," he said.

Elandria let out a breath and sagged against him, "I just couldn't take it if something happened to you or …KELLIN!" Her eyes jumped to Alistair's where she could see her horror reflected in his. They both began to move through the ring of guards, but Hugh barred Alistair's way.

"No, your Majesty. You aren't going anywhere even if I have to restrain you myself. We have no idea how many of them are in the castle. I will not risk you, not even for the prince," he said as he took a firm grasp on Alistair's arm.

Alistair tried to shrug him off and keep going, but Hugh was stronger than he looked. "Surround the king! Shields!" he barked sharply. Hugh's men were well trained and knew better than to disobey their commander. They quickly encircled the king, creating a shield wall.

Alistair looked at Hugh with his heart in his eyes. "Hugh, please," he begged. "I have to check on my son."

Hugh could see the anguish in the king's expression. His face softened, but his grip remained firm on Alistair's arm. "I'm sorry, your Majesty. I will dispatch some of the palace guards to check on his Highness if you like. I cannot and will not allow you to go yourself. Remember, he has his own unit of men. For right now, we need to move you to a more secure location."

Alistair was split in half by his conflicting duties. The king in him knew Hugh was right and it would be stupid to go running off. The father in him was screaming that he needed to be at his son's side and protect him from any danger.

When Elandria turned to him and started issuing orders, it was almost like stepping back into the past, and he gave in to the inevitable. "You stay here. I'll take Zev and go get Kellin. I'm sure Torin has kept him safe." Elandria saw Zevran and Wynne standing just outside the guards. "Wynne," she bade. "Stay with Alistair. Zev, your knife, please."

Wynne nodded and said, "Yes, Elandria." She was allowed to slip through the men surrounding the king and was ready to defend Alistair.

Zev flipped her one of his knives. Elandria caught the knife and slit her tight-fitting dress from the floor to mid thigh, hacking off its length in a ragged line around her body. After today's events, she would never have worn the dress again regardless. She kicked off the shoes that had been tormenting her all day. "Zev, you're with me!" she ordered, and she took off at a run for Kellin's rooms.

* * *

_A.N.: For those that didn't read the first story or just forgot, I wanted to point out that Elandria's magic was subtly changed by having the Archdemon's taint/Old God's soul move through the channels her magic flows through while it was seeking Kellin. She has more control than most over her magic and can do some things with it that other mages can't._

_Many thanks to melismo for the beta and to everyone who reads or reviews, especially the lurkers out there who keep up the numbers in the traffic report. _


	8. Fear Allayed

Torin, Kellin, and Zynalla had arrived back at Kellin's rooms around nine bells. Zy offered to stay long enough to help get the prince settled for the night, but Torin told her to go home. He would take care of Kellin, and they would see her in the morning at seven since she had stayed so late. Zy reluctantly agreed and left the palace for the night.

As Torin was bathing Kellin and getting him in his nightshirt before the fireplace, he felt more and more jumpy and uneasy. He told Kellin one of his favorite bedtime stories about the Dalish elves of old while holding him on his lap in front of the fire before he took Kellin to bed. He found himself taking Kellin to his bed instead of the prince's. Kellin was still adjusting to palace life, and even when he started the night in his own bed, he usually ended up in Torin's before the night was through as he frequently woke up from nightmares of a bad man after him. Torin told Kellin they were going to have a sleep-over party, just the two of them, and Torin tucked Kellin into his small bed. Kellin was happy enough to comply.

Torin picked up his night clothes and headed back out to the much larger room. As Kellin's chambers were the queen's old quarters, it had its own attached wash room, but he and Kellin were most comfortable just bathing in front of the fire like they used to when they lived with the Dalish. He washed up using the water that was left over from Kellin's bath and changed. He poked his head in his room, but Kellin was sound asleep. Torin still felt uneasy and wandered all the rooms of the suite, checking that everything was as it should be.

Eventually, he went back to his own room and snuggled up to the warmth of Kellin in his bed. Torin could smell the sweet clean scent of Kellin's hair from the soap he had used to wash it. He continued to lay awake, unable to shake whatever was keeping him from sleep.

* * *

Elandria and Zevran ran as fast as they could through the halls of the palace and up the stairs to the third floor where the royal suite was located. Zevran was feeling the effects of the weeks on ship as he hadn't done anything physically demanding during that time, but he refused to fall behind and pushed himself harder to keep up with Elandria's adrenaline-induced speed. The halls were empty as most of the servants were down on the lower floors helping with the reception.

When they turned the corner to the doors to Kellin's part of the suite, Elandria could see the two men that were on duty. She ran to the man standing by the bedroom door and then stopped, breathing heavily. "Any trouble?" she snapped.

"No, Warden, all has been quiet."

"Both of you be sharp. There was an attempt on the king's life tonight." The men showed shock in their expressions, but immediately exuded a much higher degree of attention to watching the halls than before.

Elandria's two guards ran up out of breath as they hadn't been able to keep up with the fleeter elves. "Stay here both of you and help guard the outer doors," she commanded with a special telling look at Niall. "We'll call if we need help."

"Let me go first," said Zevran.

Elandria nodded. Zevran glided soundlessly up to the door, trying to listen for what was happening on the other side. All was quiet. He slowly eased the door open without a sound and then waited before pushing it any further. No noise came from the room. Zev nudged the door just enough to slip inside. He sensed the flash of movement to the side of him at the same time he felt a dagger slid against his throat.

"Don't move," came a male voice.

"Don't move yourself," Zevran replied, with the point of his dagger at the other man's stomach.

Elandria came through the door allowing light to filter in from the candles outside at the guard stations. "Stand down both of you," she commanded. "Torin, where's Kellin?" she asked urgently.

"He's in my bed sleeping."

Zevran removed his dagger as Torin slowly allowed his to fall away from Zevran's throat. Elandria rushed through into Torin's room and almost fell on the bed in relief. Kellin was sleeping deeply curled up on his side with one hand thrown out towards her. She watched as his chest rose and fell. Elandria reached out and touched his hand but didn't disturb him. She went back out into the main room of Kellin's suite.

Zevran and Torin had moved towards the middle of the room but were still eyeing each other mistrustfully. "Zevran, this is Torin. He is Kellin's protector. Torin, this is Zevran. You've heard enough about him over the years."

Torin's face lit up in interest. "Zevran, the assassin?" he asked.

Zevran chuckled. "I see my reputation precedes me. Zevran Arainai, at your service," he said with a flourish.

While Torin and Zevran were getting acquainted, Elandria's eye fell on a bundle on the floor by Kellin's bed. She walked over to investigate. When she realized it was a body, she turned quickly to Torin. "What happened?" she asked sharply.

"After we came back from dinner and I had Kellin ready for bed, I was restless so I put him in mine. I finally turned in myself, but couldn't sleep. I laid awake for awhile and then I heard a thump from this room. I got up and eased in here. Whoever he was, he came in through the window. In the dim light from outside, I saw him moving there by Kellin's bed. When I saw the flash of light off the dagger, I didn't even think about it. I-I killed him," Torin finished abruptly as his face paled.

Zevran looked at the young elf and said with sympathy, "Ah, your first kill, no?"

Torin just nodded.

Elandria examined the body. Torin had stabbed the man in the back with a single thrust. As Elandria looked at Kellin's bed, her face blanched when she saw a dagger thrust through the pillow. All sympathy she felt for the assassin's death disappeared. "Torin, you saved Kellin twice, once by putting him in your bed and then by killing this man. By coming here to kill an innocent child, he got what he deserved. You did nothing wrong."

Zevran moved over to examine the body and the dagger. He rifled through the assassin's clothes, but there were no clues to his identity. He carefully pulled the dagger from the pillow examining the blade closely. "I would make sure this pillow is safely discarded," he said.

Elandria's gaze snapped to Zevran's face. "Poison?" she inquired.

Zevran nodded.

Elandria let out a breath refusing to let her mind start drafting pictures of what would have happened if Torin hadn't been here to protect Kellin. "Torin, get your armor on. I'm going to get mine and then we are all going back to Alistair. Zev, fill Torin in on what happened while I'm gone." With that, Elandria turned to the door that connected to her and Alistair's room and went through. She spared a thought to wish that the new armor Master Wade had promised her was finished, but her leather armor that she wore while in the forest that Master Varathorn had crafted for her would suffice. She quickly entered the arms room where space had been made for her gear as well. She shed the hated dress, dug out a set of the light linen underclothes she wore underneath from a chest, and then rapidly donned her armor. She placed Spellweaver on her back and with an attitude of defiance grabbed her staff as well. When she turned around, Gabriel was there looking at her almost reproachfully.

"Coming with me?" she asked him.

He just gave a short growl in response, which she interpreted as, "Just try and stop me."

She stroked a hand lovingly down his head. "Thanks, boy," was all she said as she turned back one last time to retrieve Starfang and its sheath to take back to Alistair. She wasn't sure he would really need the sword, but it never paid not to be prepared.

As she left the arms room, she noticed that the servants had set up what was supposed to be a romantic setting for her and the king in the main bedchamber portion of their quarters. She couldn't help feeling some regret as this was her wedding night, and all the happiness that should have been hers and Alistair's had been pushed aside by the night's events.

When Elandria and Gabe returned to Kellin's room, the two elven men had been joined by a guard that Hugh had sent to let them know where the king had been taken. Torin was just buckling on his last piece of armor and Zevran had finished telling him about the assassination attempt on Alistair. Torin lifted his head and looked at her. She could see the serious expression on his face. He pulled the dagger sheaths that she had given him the day of the Lenayath on his back and nodded to her.

Elandria handed Starfang to Zevran. "I'll carry Kellin," she said and went into Torin's room to retrieve the little boy. She hated to disturb him but picked him up gently. She settled him against the chest piece of her armor. Kellin was sleeping so deeply, he didn't even wake. She returned to the outer room. "Ready?" she asked.

Both men nodded to her. Torin went to the door to command the guards. "Surround the prince," he ordered. As Elandria exited carrying Kellin the seven men encircled the two of them. Torin took point with one of his daggers in his hand and Gabriel beside him while Zevran fell in to the rear as they headed back to the first floor and Alistair.

* * *

_First person Alistair_

After Lanie left the dining room, Hugh made ready to relocate us. I went along willingly but unthinkingly. My whole concentration was on the third floor of the palace and imagining what was taking place there.

"This way, your Majesty," said Hugh at my elbow. I looked up from my daze to see that we were in the hallway outside my study. "I've already had this room checked. You're safe here," he said.

"Thank you, Hugh," I said absently as the two of us and Wynne entered the room. The other guards were stationed outside the door. "Send someone to Kellin's quarters so Lanie knows where we are," I ordered.

"I already have, Sire," Hugh assured me. "They should all be back here any time."

"I hate this, Hugh. I should be with them, not hiding like some old man worried about my own skin," I spat out and started to angrily pace the room. My worry for Kellin and Lanie was like shards of glass in my stomach as it churned and growled.

"I know you feel that way, your Majesty, but you know your place is here," he replied. "I'm sure the Warden will keep the prince safe."

"Yes, Alistair," added Wynne reassuringly. "You know Elandria and Torin wouldn't let anything happen to Kellin."

I wasn't comforted, but realized that until Lanie returned I wouldn't learn any more. The door to my study swung open as Eamon rushed into the room followed by a few members of the council. "Thank the Maker, you're all right," he said with heartfelt relief.

"More like, thank Elandria," came Wynne's tart reply. She spun to face Hugh. "You do realize she did _your_ job tonight, don't you?"

"Peace, Wynne," I said. "It's not Hugh's fault."

"She's right," admitted Hugh in a low voice. "I failed you, Sire. I recommend Adair to replace me."

"Don't be daft, man," I said in exasperation. "I'm not replacing you. No one can guarantee someone's safety twenty-four hours a day, not even you, Hugh."

My eyes turned to the door before they even came through it, as I could almost feel their-her presence on the other side. My heart lurched when she came in carrying our sleeping son. Whatever else had happened tonight, she was back. This was _my _Lanie. That presence of command she had carried all through the Blight and which she seemed to have lost somewhere over the past four years was lying strong on her shoulders now. She had changed out of her wedding dress and donned her armor. To see her striding across the room with her staff and Spellweaver on her back and Kellin safe in her arms loosened something clenched tight inside me. I was pulled to them like iron to a magnet. She was my center, the source of my strength. In the months we had shared a tent and fought the Blight together while traversing the length and width of Ferelden, a bond had formed between us that tied us together still, regardless of the events of the past few years. She was the one person who _always_ saw the real me, no matter what mask I wore and the one person I could be myself with. I met Lanie halfway across the room and wrapped both of them in my arms, being careful not to squeeze Kellin too tightly between us. I could scarcely believe he was still sleeping. Lanie leaned her head against my chest for just a brief moment, an acknowledgment of all there was between us, and then she stepped back.

"Here," she said. "Take him. It can't be very comfortable for him against my armor." She loosely held him while I reached out and transferred Kellin gently from her body to mine. I couldn't resist hugging him against me and stroking his hair, rejoicing in his warmth and the sweet scent rising from his child's body. He snuggled his face against my chest, but didn't wake, and his breathing soon settled back into a steady rhythm.

"Anything happen with Kellin?" I asked her, not paying any attention to anyone else in the room. Zevran, Torin, and Gabe had come in with Lanie and the others were talking, but all my concern was for my wife and son.

By the way her face darkened, I could tell right away I wasn't going to like what I was about to hear. "Torin saved Kellin twice, Alistair. An assassin had plunged a poisoned dagger through Kellin's pillow and Torin backstabbed him and killed him. Luckily, Torin had put Kellin to bed in his bed instead of Kellin's own."

I couldn't help but clutch Kellin tighter at those words. The anger that someone had tried, not just to hurt my boy, but to actually kill him rushed through my veins and brought every protective instinct I had to the surface. Lanie saw it and laid her hand gently on my arm.

"I know what you feel, Alistair. I feel it as well, but channel the rage, don't let it consume you," she said quietly.

I knew she was right, but the thought that someone had tried to kill the sweet child in my arms made me almost physically sick.

"We'll find out who it was and they will pay. Concentrate on that," she advised.

By this time, Zevran had drifted up beside Lanie and Wynne was standing beside me. Funny how old patterns reassert themselves when trouble raised its ugly head. Zevran made to hand Starfang to me, but I motioned with my head for him to lay it on my desk. I certainly didn't expect to need my sword with all the guards Hugh had stationed outside this room and the well-armed contingent inside it with me.

Eamon said, "Here, your Majesty. You can lie the prince down here." He was indicating a soft chair that was situated under the window of my study.

"Not right now, Eamon. I prefer to keep him with me," I said. I didn't want to put him down. I knew Kellin was safe as long as I was holding him. I walked over to the edge of my desk and leaned against the front of it. I saw Torin following me and place himself beside the desk off to one side so he could keep an eye on Kellin. I made a note to myself to thank him privately later. He had certainly earned my gratitude tonight.

"Fine, let's talk," I said, taking charge of the room and drawing everyone's attention back to me. "Who is behind these attempts and why?"

"It was an attempt to wipe out the Theirin bloodline," declared Wynne, well used to speaking her mind.

"Timed to try and disguise that fact," put in Zevran.

"If it had really been about you marrying an elf or mage, there should have been an attempt on my life, not yours and Kellin's," added Lanie.

"Who stands to gain the most if Kellin and I are removed?" I asked looking at Eamon.

"Theoretically, you made Teagan your heir before Kellin was born. He would have a claim for the kingship, even more now that he is the Arl of Redcliffe, but the only other real contenders for the throne would be one of the teyrns," Eamon said.

"What about the Chantry?" Lanie asked.

I was shocked. "Why the Chantry?"

Sister Elizabeth was affronted and broke in before Lanie could reply, "How absurd! What would the Chantry hope to gain from removing King Alistair and most especially the young prince?"

"I'm not sure, but I do know one of my guards is a templar who used Holy Smite on me after I cast that Force Field spell on Alistair. If he had hit me before I was able to release the spell and if the shot were well enough placed that Wynne couldn't have healed him, this would be a very different meeting right now."

More than one face in the room went pale at that thought.

"Even so. Having _you_ watched is a far cry from trying to assassinate the king and his son," retorted the sister.

"That's very true," Lanie acknowledged calmly, but then leaned towards the woman with a warning blazing from her eyes as her voice dropped even softer. "You had just best hope I don't find out your precious Chantry was behind the attempt on _my _son."

Sister Elizabeth recoiled back a bit in surprise and then seemed to gather herself. "Well, I don't have any worries then, do I? We would never be a party to this sort of attack on a reigning monarch or a helpless child."

"Enough," I said to both women. "Lanie, we don't have any evidence it was the Chantry." I turned my attention to the sister. "I see I'll be having another interesting interview with the Revered Mother," I said to try to defuse the situation.

"I believe I shall join you for that, Alistair," said Lanie as she crossed her arms and dropped back on her heels in a stance I knew only too well, one that meant she intended to have her way.

"Well, that is a concern for later," I said, neither agreeing or disagreeing. "Back to the discussion at hand." My eyes fell on Zevran who had been following the conversation between the two women with a slight smirk of the lips. I knew he had no real love of the Chantry either. He nodded his head slightly when he saw me looking at him.

"Zevran, do you have something to contribute?" I asked.

"I examined both bodies and the equipment the assassins carried. I have a suspicion, but no solid proof," Zevran stated.

"Just tell us what you think," I said.

"I don't know if there is any truth to the tale, but I will tell you what I was once told by an older Crow when I was young. There are rumors of a small guild of assassins hidden away in the Anderfels. They are called the Asps and they always use poisons made of venom in their kills. I have never actually come across one before, but," he paused at this and took out the pieces of the crossbow he had taken from the assassin who had tried to kill me. He quickly assembled the weapon. It was small, beautiful, and deadly. He showed us a small mark on the prod itself. "I think this represents the head of a snake or an asp and the bolt I removed from it was poisoned," he finished.

"That sounds expensive," commented Eamon. "I mean, to bring in someone from the Anderfels, especially if it is as small an organized group as you said."

"It has to be someone who has knowledge of you, Alistair," said Wynne.

"Because of your friendship with Zevran, the Crows would have been dangerous to approach. Word could have leaked back to you," added Lanie.

"Yes, that makes sense," I agreed. "But it is well known that Zev traveled with us during the time of the Blight and that we were friends. Almost anyone could have that information, and his Crow association is an open secret."

Lanie looked at me with a troubled expression.

"What?" I asked her.

"How about Gwaren?" she asked. As a protest rose to my lips, she held up a hand to forestall me. "The son was in Tevinter, which is right next to the Anderfels, and he is mysteriously absent tonight."

I narrowed my eyes in thought as I considered all the interactions I have had with Ranald over the years. Finally, I shook my head, "No, it doesn't feel right."

"What if it isn't one of your sodding nobles?" asked Gorim. "Is there anyone else who would want you and your young'un dead… your Majesty," he added as an afterthought.

I looked at Eamon. "I know you and Hugh periodically meet to discuss security and perceived threats. Why don't the two of you get together a list and then we can go over it sometime tomorrow. Hugh, what do you think about judiciously bringing Captain Kylon in on what is happening and see if he has any information?"

"That's an excellent idea, Sire," said Hugh. "He's a good man to have on your side."

"For right now, it's getting late tonight and I'm sure we all want to find our beds," _Maker, do I want to find my bed, but it's certainly not going to be the night I had planned._

"Your Majesty, you know we will have to discuss upgraded security precautions," stated Hugh.

"I know. Tomorrow will be soon enough," I said with a sigh. That was the last thing I wanted, but I knew it would be necessary. I wasn't willing to take any chances on Kellin's life, and now that I had so much to live for, I really didn't want anything to happen to me either.

"Alistair," said Lanie quietly with a nod to Kellin. She mouthed _keep secret_ to me.

"Oh, right. Obviously, the attempt on me is public knowledge. I want to keep the one on Kellin a secret. No one outside this room right now knows about this. I expect it to stay that way," I said as I swept my gaze around everyone present.

Zevran offered, "I'll take care of the body and getting it out of the palace. I'll go right now before any guards are back at their posts on the doors."

Zevran turned to leave, but stopped when I spoke to him, "Zev," I said. "Would you come back to the palace tonight?"

Zevran raised an eyebrow, but said, "Of course."

"I want you to stay in Kellin's room. He's going to be in with Lanie and me tonight." I glanced at Lanie, but she just nodded. I was sure we would both sleep better knowing that he was safe with us and that Zev would be close.

"I'll return as soon as I'm finish my task," Zevran promised.

Lanie, Torin, Hugh, and I waited while everyone made their goodbyes and left. I wanted to give Zevran time to get the body out of Kellin's room before Torin went to his bed tonight. No use in making him see Zevran cleaning up the evidence behind him. Eamon also stayed, which surprised me.

"Elandria," Eamon said. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did tonight, not only for Ferelden in saving its king, but for all of us who care for Alistair. I'm sure I'll have nightmares about this night for months to come. Anyway, thank you.

"I, as well, Warden, especially owe you my thanks," said Hugh. "I'm well aware of the fact that none of the king's guards were close enough to have been able to stop that shot if you haven't foiled it."

For once in her life, Lanie looked like she didn't know what to say. I figured I'd help her out. "Well, I'll try and find a way to show my appreciation later," I said while everyone laughed, and Lanie turned an adorable shade of pink. "So, who is ahead now in the who-saved-whom column, my love, you or me?" I asked.

"I've lost track," she replied throwing me a look of thanks. "You probably. Remember how many times you had to help me at first?" She turned to Eamon. "I was the worst Grey Warden recruit there ever was. Alistair saved me from the very first darkspawn I encountered in the Korcari Wilds and it seemed with almost every fight he had to use his shield to protect me."

"You learned fast," I said with a smile, remembering Lanie as she had been.

"Ostagar changed us," she replied softly as our eyes met and held. The others in the room were shut out as the memories of that time and the despair we had felt at being the only Grey Wardens left in Ferelden afterwards sobered both of us.

"Yes, it did," I finally agreed. I reached out for her hand wanting and needing more of a connection to her. Lanie had gone through one of the worst periods of my life with me and was the only one capable of knowing what had truly been lost that day at Ostagar.

"Ostagar," said Torin. "You were there? You never mentioned that in any of your stories."

"No, I didn't," said Lanie. "There were no good stories from Ostagar."

"Hey," I said somewhat offended. "It's where we met."

"At the time I was telling stories to the Dalish, I didn't think that was a good thing either," Lanie replied.

"Oh yeah, right. I guess you wouldn't have," I said slightly crestfallen. "How about now?"

"Now I think it's a very good thing," she said with a smile as she raised up on tiptoe and tugged me down to plant a kiss on my cheek.

Eamon wished us a good night and left to seek his wife. I took the opportunity to move Kellin from my right side to my left as he was starting to get heavy.

"How about Zev turning up tonight? Wasn't that something?" I said to Lanie.

"It's so wonderful to see him. I was so surprised. I've missed him so much. You don't know how many times over the past years I wanted his advice, and now he is here," she replied happily.

Torin seemed disgruntled and turned to me in disgust. "I killed a man for Kellin tonight, but I'm still not good enough for you, huh?" he asked bitterly.

"What, whoa!" I said in surprise not sure where this was coming from.

"Why do you need the almighty Zevran if Kellin is going to be in with you?" he asked.

"I want him so you can get some sleep tonight and be alert for tomorrow. I trust all my guards because I've known them for years. I don't know Kellin's guards that well, and I feel better with either you or Zevran around to keep an eye on things," I said. "Torin, I know we haven't always gotten along that well, but I really appreciate that you have been very respectful to my position here." When his eyes flashed to Lanie and back fast enough I almost missed it, I realized that she was the one who had explained how the different ranks of human society worked and how important it was in the day-to-day functioning of the palace that certain behavior be followed. "I also understand how seriously you take the vows you made to Kellin. And what you did tonight for him, I have no way to thank you for. If there is ever anything you need and it is my power, it's yours."

Lanie spoke up before he could answer, "Torin, I'm going to ask Zevran to start teaching you about poisons and such. He would also be a good sparring partner for you and could probably teach you a few tricks with a dagger as well."

Torin mumbled to himself, but eventually said, "Fine." I was sure if I had suggested it I would have received an earful.

* * *

Once Torin had seen the king, Elandria, and Kellin were safely in their quarters, he entered Kellin's suite. The body and all sign of it was gone. The rug that had been beside the bed was missing as well. Zevran must have used it to wrap the body in since it would already have been bloodstained. Torin was highly conscious of the fact that the two guards on duty at the doors to Kellin's rooms and he were guarding one of the entrances to the bedroom the royal family were in. He thought he would be tired, but with all that had happened tonight his mind refused to shut down. He tried to lie in the bed and sleep, but was only driving himself mad with what-if situations. He rose again throwing on light clothes and decided to clean his armor (which didn't really need it) out in Kellin's room. He built up the fire to a nice roaring blaze, lit candles to bring the room to full illumination, and settled down to work. The rhythm of rubbing the various pieces soon soothed him, and he didn't stir even when Zevran came into the room.

Zevran looked at him and nodded. Torin was still feeling slightly hurt over the whole situation. He knew how much Elandria liked and respected the other man, but he was used to being the one she had turned to ever since the Lenayath. First having the king come into the picture and now Zevran almost had him feeling like a little kid again, and he didn't like it one bit. He didn't share all the memories they had, and it made him feel left out. He did nod back, but returned his attention to his armor while keeping a furtive watch on the assassin.

Zevran must have stopped by wherever he was staying because he had a small bag he threw on the bed, and he was now dressed in a fine set of leathers with two swords on his back. Torin watched as he took his swords off and laid them on the bed beside the bag he had brought with him. Dressed as he was, he looked much different from the dandy he had appeared prior in the evening. There was a hard edge to the way Zevran carried himself now that had been missing earlier. Torin wondered if the assassin had consciously hid if before or if it was strictly caused by the change in his attire.

Zevran turned and saw him looking at his armor. "It is exquisite, no?" he asked. "Master Wade's work. Elandria had him make this for me from some drake scales we acquired on our search for the Urn of Sacred Ashes." He sighed. "It is strange. Sometimes I really miss those days even with all the despair caused by the Blight and the constant traveling. It made one feel alive to have such a purpose." Zevran wiped a hand across his face as he ended his musing and pulled his attention from the past to the present.

"Very nice," agreed Torin as he turned back to polishing the greave in his hands.

Torin watched out of the corner of his eye as the other elf moved to the center of the room to stand for several minutes with his hands on his hips and head cocked as he very slowly turned to take in the entire room. Torin was fascinated despite himself and soon his hands fell still as he could see the concentration etched on Zevran's face. Torin wasn't sure what Zevran was doing, but his eyes were darting all along the edges of the room. Torin heard him mutter underneath his breath and then Zevran picked up the nearest candle and walked to the wall that separated the sitting room from the bedroom area. He squatted down and seemed to be poking along the bottom of the wall for a minute or two. Zevran must not have found what he was looking for because he gracefully rose to his feet and rubbed the hand not holding the candle thoughtfully along the wall.

Zevran then opened wide the door to the sitting room and entered. From where Torin was seated, he could only see part of the room. He was just thinking about getting up to see what Zevran was doing when he came back into the bedroom, walked around behind Torin, and then entered the washroom. Torin could see the flame flickering through the door from the candle Zevran was carrying. Zevran came back out of the washroom and went back into the sitting room. Torin lost all inclination to hide the fact that he was curious about what Zevran was doing. He laid down his polishing cloth and the greave he was working on and quietly rose from his chair. He went to the entrance of the sitting room and leaned against the door frame. Zevran had sat the candle on the floor, and was moving the furniture away from the wall between the two rooms. Once that was done, he started at one end running his hands over the wall. When he reached a section about three-quarters of the way down the room, Zevran closed his eyes, bowed his head, and used just the pads of his fingertips to lightly probe and pry each block of the wall. Torin heard him say quietly to himself, "Ah, I've got you now," and then Torin heard a small click. He was amazed as a section of wall quietly swung out.

Zevran lifted his head with a grin of triumph on his face and a raised eyebrow, "So _mi violento uno_, care to join me in a little investigation?"

As Torin followed Zevran into the dark passage, he thought maybe, just maybe Zevran _was_ as good as he had heard.

* * *

_A.N.: There are just a few things I do very well, some things I do okay, and a multitude of things I'm horrible at. Foreign languages definitely fall in the last category. Anyone who can speak, read, or think in more than one language has my admiration, including Mapachita who gave me the right Spanish translation for "my fierce one" after the translation program I used proved incorrect. Thanks for the save!_

_Thanks to melismo for suffering through multiple drafts on this chapter and fixing things for me. Much love and appreciation to everyone who continues to support this story, whether by reviewing, adding to alerts/favorites, or just by reading. _


	9. Almost Doesn't Count

_A.N.: I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. My mind was hijacked by 'Surviving the Archdemon' and real life has been sort of crazy. The next few weeks the updates may be slow, but I promise I'm not abandoning the story._

_The first two sections of this are done from Alistair's POV and start right after the meeting that was held to discuss the assassination attempt. _

_This chapter isn't safe for work. _

* * *

When we entered our rooms after a thorough check by the guards and a firm discussion with Hugh that he was _not_ placing a guard in our bedroom tonight, neither of us spoke. I walked over and laid Kellin down in the middle of our bed and gently covered him. When I moved him off my chest, he startled and came partially awake, but I was able to quickly soothe him back to sleep with low-voiced murmuring and soft pats on his back. Gabriel started investigating the room, finally locating his pillow and laying down on it. Lanie laid Starfang down on the left side of the bed and had then gone to the other side. She removed both her staff and Spellweaver lying both of them on the floor by the bed. That more than anything else spoke to me how serious she was taking these attempts. As she removed her weapons, the front she put on for the others disappeared as well. I watched her shoulders slump as she sat lightly on the edge of the bed, more in tiredness than anything else, I thought at first. I moved to the side of the bed with her, and Lanie stood up and wrapped her arms around my waist. I hugged her tightly or as tight as I could through her armor. I leaned over to rest my cheek on the top of her head. As I held her, I realized I could feel her body shaking. I tried to draw back, but Lanie wouldn't let go of me. "Hey, what's the matter?" I asked.

I felt her shake her head against my chest, but she didn't say anything. I leaned back enough to try and tilt her head up with my hand under her chin. She kept the muscles in her neck stiff and didn't want to let me. I persisted and finally drew her head up off my chest so I could look in her face. Her eyes were tightly screwed shut, but that couldn't stop the tears leaking out from underneath her lids. "Lanie," I breathed softly as I gently wiped them away. "It's all right, love."

Again, she shook her head, still not opening her eyes or saying anything.

"Let's get you out of that armor," I suggested and starting undoing buckles and removing each piece and setting it aside. She stood there and allowed me to do so. As I drew off the last of it, her passiveness was starting to worry me; Lanie was _never_ passive. She let me take off her boots and socks so she stood barefoot and clothed only in the linen underclothes she wore under her armor. I gathered her back up again. She burrowed against me hiding her face once more. I allowed her to take what comfort she could from our embrace while I slowly removed the pins from her hair allowing it to fall and drape around her. She didn't show any inclination to move or speak, and I finally couldn't take it any more. "Tell me," I said quietly as I held her with one arm and slowly stroked her hair with the other hand. Lanie had let her hair grow out since our time traveling together, and I loved to run my fingers through the new, longer lengths.

I felt her draw her breath in, but then she hesitated. "Please?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

When she finally did begin to speak I could barely hear her, but her voice grew stronger as she continued. "You and Kellin-both-almost died tonight. I almost lost the two of you at once. I couldn't take that, Alistair. It would destroy me."

"Shh," I said. "You didn't lose us. You saved me, and you saved Kellin as well by having Torin to protect him. We're both right here and safe. Almost doesn't count."

I proceeded to prove it to her in the only way I knew how. I raised her head by placing both my hands on either side of her face with my fingers in her hair. This time her eyes were open and I could see the pain in them. I pressed my lips to hers in a gentle caress that slowly became more as I tried to pour my heart and soul into her and show her just what she meant to me. At first she just accepted my kiss, but then I felt her respond.

As her body softened and yielded to me, something inside me snapped, and the control I'd been holding myself under for almost the past week whenever I touched her was gone. Maybe it was just the knowledge that we were finally married, and she was mine _forever_. Perhaps it was the fact I hadn't been with a woman in months or maybe it was the teasing we had both meted out to each other over the past days. Whatever it was, my grip on her tightened; my tongue thrust forcefully into her mouth; I ground myself against her; and the whimper she made deep in her throat drove me crazy. I picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around my waist and began to rub herself against my erection. I barely retained enough thought to realize I needed to get her out of this room before I took her right here on the floor with our son sleeping in the bed above us. My eyes fell on the door to the arms room. I broke our kiss reluctantly and held her to me as I carried her across the room. The feel of her soft lips and tongue against the skin of my neck as I did so sent shivers down my spine and desire racing through my body.

On entering the arms room, I pushed the door shut with my foot, but allowed it to stay open just a bit so we could hear if Kellin stirred. I carried her to a clear spot by one of the walls and held her trapped between it and my body. "Off," I growled as I started to work the laces free on her top. She pushed my hands out of the way and much more adroitly than I could have removed both it and the breast binder beneath. Her hands dropped to do the same on her linen pants, but I didn't give her the chance. I put my hands under her arms and raised her higher in the air as her legs dropped away from me. One more thought crossed my mind before I began to lose myself in the delights of her body. "No magic," I said as I didn't want her to lose control and let it flare like she had earlier with our kiss. The last thing I wanted tonight was anyone bursting into our rooms, templar or not.

"No magic," she whispered in agreement.

In our teasing games, we hadn't gone much beyond deep kisses and tentative touches as we both knew past a certain point we wouldn't-couldn't stop. The line had been crossed tonight, and I knew it would end with me buried deep inside her where I had been aching to be ever since finding out she still lived.

With an almost reverent joy, I allowed her breasts to fill my hands and took one taut nipple into my mouth as I continued to hold her trapped against the wall with my lower body. I felt her jerk and jump beneath me as I paid loving attention to first one breast and then the other. One of her hands made its way beneath my tunic to grasp my shoulder and the other she placed on the back of my head as her fingers twisted in my hair. I could hear her saying my name over and over. I dropped one hand to work the laces free on my pants as she held more of her weight in her arms against my shoulders. I pushed both the pants and my smallclothes down over my hips so that they puddled to the floor around my feet. I managed to step out of them and kick them away without stopping my attentions to her. I took her weight back and once again held her against the wall. She worked her hands under my wedding tunic enough to draw it over my head and toss it on the floor. I couldn't help but close my eyes as I felt her hands stroke across my bare chest, shoulders, back, and arms. The Maker himself only knows how much I missed her touch these past years.

Only her bottom underclothing was left between us and I wanted it gone now. Without even giving her a chance to remove them, I grabbed the waist and ripped it off her. The smallclothes beneath received the same attention. As I reached out to touch her between her legs, I felt her hair, soft as silk without any coarseness, brush against my hand. She cried out when I let her slide down the wall some and then slipped my fingers inside her. I hurriedly captured her lips to muffle any more cries she might make as her legs wrapped around me again. Sweet Andraste, she was hot and wet. I could feel the muscles of her inner walls clenching and releasing against my fingers. I let out my own cry, which was muffled by her lips, when I felt her hand encircle and start stroking me.

We spent a little time teasing each other, but foreplay wasn't on either of our minds tonight. I desperately ran the contents of the room through my head as I couldn't see as well in the semi-darkness as she could. I removed my hand and put one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders to hold her as I shuffled a bit to my right while her pelvis ground against me inflaming me further. I came up against the edge of a chest that I had remembered was along this wall. It was a large chest able to hold multiple pieces of armor that didn't rate their own stand, and Lanie was a small woman. I carefully laid her on the top of it. All I could think about was Getting Inside Her Now as the feel of her soft skin rubbing against me about made me lose my mind.

I took myself in hand and pressed against her entrance. I felt her body stretch to accommodate me as I pushed inside her. I tried to be gentle, but failed. I knew after four years our first time together should be achingly sweet and tender, but death had reached out its hand and touched me tonight. All I could do was push myself inside her tightness and heat until Lanie took all of me, and with an indescribable feeling, I was finally HOME again. My mind screamed to _stop_, _slow down_, _take your time and love her_, but my body seemed incapable of listening. I drove into her time and time again as the pounding rhythm reaffirmed the fact that I was still alive. I couldn't force myself to stop or slow down as the feel of Lanie's skin sliding against me once again and her encouragement impelled me on. Lanie wrapped her arms around my chest and her legs around my waist and used my body to lift herself and meet every one of my thrusts. My breath grew ragged and came in great gasps, and sweat coated my body. My muscles trembled, and whether it was from the pleasure pouring through me or the strain of trying to keep us on the chest, I couldn't say. The feel of Lanie's warm breath against the skin of my chest when she placed fervent kisses there only added to the excitement. I lost all sense of time as I gave myself over to the joy of being with Lanie again. Only when I felt her entire body stiffen in release and she bit into the skin of my chest to stifle her cries, did I find my own satisfaction. "Lanie," I groaned in a voice that sounded harsh and broken even to my own ears. After my body finished pouring its release into her, I carefully collapsed on top of her while small aftershocks continued to cause my body to jerk spasmodically.

We were both quiet for a few minutes, and I began to feel guilty for having treated her in such a manner. Finally, with my arms protesting from holding me, I pushed partway up off of her and allowed my legs to take more of my weight. I could barely see her face in the shadows in the room, but I gently cupped one of her cheeks in my hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so rough-," I began, but was cut off by Lanie.

"Shh," she said as she laid a finger against my lips. "There will be other times for tenderness. It's not what either of us needed tonight. This was perfect in fact, almost like a dream." She seemed to become agitated. "This isn't all a dream, is it? It's really you, and you'll still be here tomorrow, won't you?"

I quickly reassured her, "It's no dream, honest. I'll be in bed with you and Kellin when you wake, I promise."

She quieted and seemed content with that. "I love you, Alistair."

I wasn't sure what I had done to deserve her, but I couldn't help thanking the Maker that Lanie was back in my life. "I love you too," I said softly. "I still can't believe you are alive and here. I missed you so much while we were apart."

"I missed you as well," she said. "More than you'll ever know."

I pushed up off her and then picked her up in my arms. I sat down on the edge of the chest and inched my way back to where I was sitting with my back against the wall with her cuddled against me. Lanie had her head and one hand resting on my chest, while I supported her with one arm and allowed the fingers on my other hand to trace gentle patterns over her body. We were both quiet and content to just sit together. Finally, I shifted a bit, and she leaned back in my arms. As she did so her head fell back exposing her neck. Unable to resist, I lowered my head and traced light kisses across her skin. I could feel the heat from her body and taste the salt from her sweat on my lips, and a thought crossed my mind. "You know," I murmured quietly, my lips tickling the soft skin just below her ear. 'I'll never be able to look at this armor chest again without smiling."

Lanie let out one of her lilting laughs that I so rarely heard. She only allowed herself to laugh like that around people she was truly comfortable with. It made me feel good to know I could still be the cause of her laughter. I lifted my head once more and smiled down at her. "That is just such an Alistair thing for you to say," she replied in a fond tone of voice.

"Well, it's a good thing it's me that's here saying it, rather than oh, Zevran. Because then I would have to kill him, and I've become rather fond of your pet Crow, my love."

"Silly, you know that would never happen, but I am glad you and Zev are friends now," she stated as she snuggled against my chest once more.

I rested my cheek against her hair. I did know she and Zev wouldn't happen, and it was nice to be able to be around both of them without the feelings of jealousy, envy, and uncertainty that Zevran had incited in me whenever he had been near Lanie in the past. Could it be I had finally grown up?

We sat there for a bit longer conversing lightly, with an unspoken mutual agreement not to bring up the attempts on Kellin and me. Her wedding night had certainly not been what it should have, but at least I could give her this and only speak of happy, inconsequential things. The lateness of the hour soon had both of us sleepy, though, and we cleaned up with the linen underclothing I had torn from her body. She dug in another chest and found a new set for her and a pair of the pants I normally wore under my armor for me. Once we were decently dressed, we went back into the other room. I tucked Lanie into her side of the bed, reached out to the bedside table, and removed a late-blooming chrysanthemum from the arrangement one of the servants had placed there. I tucked it behind her ear as she looked up at me with soft eyes. I leaned over and gave her one more light kiss. "Good night, my love. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning," I whispered to her.

She reached up to run her fingers down the side of my face. "Good night, Alistair. I love you," she said sleepily, her hand dropping back to the mattress and her eyes closing.

I walked over to my side of the bed, blew out the candle on my bedside table, and climbed in. I snuggled Kellin against me, enjoying the feeling of him lying beside me. As I was drifting off with my arm extended across him so I could rest my hand on Lanie, a last thought penetrated before I dropped off to sleep._ As long as Lanie lived, I would never be alone._

* * *

The next morning didn't go as I intended either. I _had_ thought to have Torin take Kellin as per his normal routine and then spend a leisurely morning in bed with my wife. A pounding on the door in the early hours rapidly aborted that plan.

"Your Majesty!" called a voice, which after I climbed up out of sleep I realized was Adair's.

Feeling Kellin cuddled against me, the events of the prior night came flooding back. I quickly climbed out of bed trying not to stumble as I left the bedroom area and headed towards the entrance to our rooms. The pounding began on the door again. I swung it open and stood framed in the doorway. There seemed to be guards everywhere as Hugh had ordered extra men to stand watch through the night. I was still dressed just in the light pants I wore under my armor that I had gone to bed in, and I lifted an arm to block some of the light from the guards' positions outside the door as my eyes blinked in response. "What is it, Adair?" I asked quietly as I didn't want to wake Lanie or Kellin up.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sire, but the chancellor sent an urgent message asking that you join him in his study right now," he replied.

"All right," I said wearily. "Give me a few minutes to get changed, and I'll be right out."

"Yes, your Majesty," he answered as I swung the door closed.

Gabe came quietly padding to my side. I reached out and rubbed a hand down his back. "I have to go meet Eamon," I told him softly. "Watch over them for me while I'm gone." Gabe made a soft sound in his chest as if in agreement and returned back to his cushion.

I went over and put a few logs on the fire, both for light and warmth, and then headed towards my clothes press for some smallclothes. I grabbed a loose tunic, leggings, and my boots also and walked back over so I could change in front of the fireplace. After I was dressed, I went over to Lanie's side of the bed. I didn't know what was going on with Eamon, nor how long I would be. It was unusual, to say the least, that he would send for me in the middle of the night. I had promised Lanie I would be here when she woke up though, so I wanted to let her know I was leaving. I shook her gently and said her name. She barely came awake, but I told her I had to go meet Eamon. She mumbled something unintelligible and buried her head under her pillow. I moved it so I could look down at her as I marveled at the fact that we were actually married. With a fond smile, I kissed her cheek, stroked her hair, and told her goodbye, but I don't think any of it registered with her. I rose from the bed and headed back toward the entrance. I ran my hand through my hair to tame the worst of the flyaway strands and opened the door.

"… not acceptable," Adair was saying sternly to one of the guards. I noted without much curiosity that it was Shaw. Adair jumped when the door opened, but broke off his speech and quickly ordered some of the men to go with me and some to stay and guard the suite. We then headed toward Eamon's study.

One of the guards knocked at Eamon's door. By the time I had walked up to it, I heard Eamon call, "Come in."

"Adair, you come with me. The rest of you stay out here," I ordered. Just the day before I would have gone in alone, but I knew Hugh would demand I keep at least one man with me as much as possible now. Quite frankly after what had happened last night, I was happy to have a guard with me. It was starting to sink in that someone wanted me dead enough to pay, and pay well, for it to happen. Adair and I entered the study after Hugh put Reilly in charge of the other guards.

I strode to the chair in front of Eamon's desk that I normally sat in as both he and the scruffy-looking young man with a rather pungent odor in the other seat rose to their feet. Eamon nodded his head with a softly spoken, "Sire."

The other man bowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty." I didn't recognize him, but by the way he held himself I assumed he was some sort of guard.

"Sit, sit," I said with a wave of my hand, and I dropped tiredly into my chair. Adair stationed himself between me and the unknown man while the other two took their seats once again. "What's going on, Eamon? What's so urgent?" I asked with a yawn.

"Burke here has ridden just about nonstop for almost the past three days to get news to us, and I'm afraid it isn't good," Eamon began.

"It never is. Just cut to the chase, Eamon," I said wearily as I slumped back in the chair.

"Anora has escaped custody from Daffodil House," Eamon stated flatly.

That news had me wide awake in an instant and straightening in my chair. "How? When?" I asked.

"Burke, you want to answer those questions for his Majesty?" Eamon asked.

"Yes, Chancellor. Almost three days 'go, a messenger arrived for the captain. It were unusual; none of us thought anything of it though. Shortly hafter, some of the men overpowered the rest of us." The man, Burke looked slightly sick but continued. "The captain were leading them. They didn't 'arm anyone see, but left us tied up in the queen dowager's room. The queen dowager, her woman, and them others fled the estate. Shortly after that, one of the knife-sorry, a servant found and untied us. Corporal Fergus was the most senior of us all and took charge. 'e ordered me to ride to bring the news while the rest went to try and find them others. I been on the road since then. I'm sorry, your Majesty, but I don't know any more or what's 'appened since I left Daffodil 'ouse."

"Thank you, Burke," I said. "For coming as quickly as you did. That's quite a distance to cover in less than three days."

"It was them way stations set up 'long The North Road, your Majesty," he replied. "I were able to get fresh 'orses and food and keep moving. I only stopped once for a few 'ours sleep since I left."

"Eamon, see that Burke is given a place to rest and eat and also an appreciation of our gratitude for his speed in bringing us this news," I said as I sat back in my chair.

"Yes, Sire," answered Eamon. He rose from his chair and walked around his desk. "Come with me, son," he said to the other man. Burke rose, bowed to me, and then Eamon ushered him out of the room.

I stayed seated in the chair thinking while I waited for Eamon to return. Adair moved to stand between the door and me. "Adair," I said without turning to look at him. "What do you think of this news?"

"Me, Sire?" I could hear the surprise in his voice. "It's not my place to think. I'm just a common guard whose job is to protect you."

"Expand your horizons, Adair. Tell me what do you think about this situation," I replied and waited a few moments for him to gather his thoughts..

"Well, it's trouble, Sire," he said. "Most in the palace and the people on the street are loyal to you, but the queen dowager was very popular when she was queen. She could be a serious threat."

"Thank you, Adair," I said and was quiet until Eamon returned. He dropped into his chair with a heavy sigh. I could see the lines in his face and the tiredness around his eyes.

"So, your thoughts?" he finally asked as he looked at me.

"I'm wondering if the timing on all this wasn't so Anora could ride into Denerim after Kellin and I were dead and take over. I think she must have had help outside that estate, someone who could assign her men to the guard detail. The arrival of a messenger that precipitated the escape seems to point to that. The question is who. Who would stand to gain from helping Anora?"

"An excellent question. One we shall have to find the answer to. I've already sent a squad of troops to Daffodil House. I also sent the royal huntsman with them. He was to take dogs and see if he could track Anora and her party, but I'm not holding out much hope. They would have expected that we would do that."

"Good," I said, still lost in thought.

"There's something else, Alistair."

"By the Maker, what else?"

"The wheat storage buildings down near the river, you know the ones I mean?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Fires broke out sometime last night and most, if not all, of the wheat stored there was ruined. They are still trying to get the fires under control."

I rubbed my hand through my hair absently almost too shocked to think, "How could those buildings have burned? They were _stone_. The only thing flammable in them should have been the grain itself.

"I would have to assume the fires were set deliberately."

"What's this going to do to the food situation this winter?" I catapulted out of my chair as I began to pace Eamon's office. I always thought better when I was on my feet and moving. "You know as well as I do this year was the first decent harvest the farms around Denerim have had since the Blight. All the darkspawn being here for the final battle decimated miles of the surrounding countryside that is just now beginning to recover. Is there any surplus we can squeeze from the bannorn to help tide us over? Can we still send someone to arrange for food from the Free Marches and Nevarra like we have in the past before it becomes too hazardous for ships this winter?"

"Antiva would probably be a safer bet because ships can sail most of the winter between there and Denerim if necessary. The captains may not like the idea, but it can be done. The inlet between Ferelden and the Free Marches and Nevarra is too dangerous in the winter, too much chance of ice floes and freezing over."

"Since I know nothing about ships, I'll take your word for it. Let's get a plan in motion."

"I'll handle it. I'll send Master Kirk. He has handled such things for us in previous years. I'll have him go to Amaranthine by horse and let him take ship from there. With their port stabilized, Amaranthine is probably the fastest choice for someone to get to Antiva."

"Sounds good," I agreed and then had another thought. "When were the fires started, Eamon?"

"I'm not sure," he answered.

"Was it after the attacks here at the palace last night were foiled?"

"Yes, it would have been."

"I don't like this; I don't like this at all, Eamon. This bespeaks someone who is _very_ well organized. I can't see why the grain would have been fired unless it is somehow tied in with the failed assassination attempts, and that indicates a backup plan. Whoever is behind this was ready for their paid assassins to fail," I said. "What is the goal in destroying the grain supply here in Denerim? How would this be connected to someone trying to remove me from the throne? Do we have any idea who did this?"

"All valid questions, Alistair, but I don't know anything yet. I haven't had a report back from the men I sent to investigate the fires. As soon as I know something, I'll let you know."

"Please do," I said as I dropped back into my chair, and we were both quiet for a few minutes. "What's on the agenda for tomorrow, or today, I guess I should say?" I asked Eamon.

"I scheduled a council session for late morning to discuss the events of last night and determine what our best course of action is. I know you weren't planning on working today, but I'm sorry, you'll have to attend that. Depending on what my investigators find at the warehouse, that situation may require attention as well, but I will put the plans into motion we have discussed about Antiva."

I just nodded. Of course something would come up that would prevent me from spending time with Lanie.

"I'm meeting with Hugh before the council session like you requested last night. We'll put together a security plan to put before the council," Eamon finished tiredly.

I took a minute to really look at Eamon. He had never totally recovered from the poison that Jowan had given him all those years ago. I could tell just by the haggardness in his face and how thin he had become that the stress of the job was starting to get to him. Was I going to have to think about replacing my chancellor before too much longer? Now would not be the best time to have to do that, but Eamon deserved more than to be worked to death. He had supported me whole heartedly since I was first crowned and taught me so many of the skills I had needed to know to be king. I would like to see him slow down and get to spend some time with Isolde and even Connor at the tower.

He broke into my thoughts. "Alistair, you do realize you are going to have to meet with Arl Vaughn about the grain situation, don't you?" asked Eamon.

"Wonderful. That will be the highlight of my day," I said sarcastically as I rubbed a hand across my chin.

"You know as well as I do, he has to give the appearance of running things here in Denerim, and it is important you work with him."

"I'd rather work with his wife. Iona is someone with a sensible head on her shoulders unlike her idiot of a husband."

"Alistair!" said Eamon warningly. I knew he was warning me to watch what I said in front of Adair. Eamon had had a lot of interaction with Hugh over the years and knew he could be trusted to keep his mouth shut, but since Adair mostly worked nights, Eamon didn't know him as well. I did, though, and liked him immensely. After countless excursions to _The Broken Sword_ and many hours spent talking over ale, I knew I could trust Adair.

I waved my hand dismissively. "Adair won't talk, Eamon. That's why he is the one in here. Right, Adair?"

Adair tilted his head formally to me, "I'm honored by your trust, your Majesty."

I nodded to him, but grimaced inwardly. I had tried many times to get him to call me Alistair when we were out of the palace on our nightly adventures. He never had and I knew he never would. Another would-be friend lost to me by my position.

* * *

Anora had even hated the name of the place. When Eamon had first told her where Alistair was sending her shortly after the end of the Blight, she couldn't think of anyplace that sounded less like her. Daffodil, did they she was a delicate flower? The location was also less than ideal. The estate was in the northern part of Ferelden on a peninsula above Kinloch Hold, at least a week's travel from Denerim in good weather. Before her marriage to Cailan had taken place, her father and King Maric had written the marriage contract between them. Since it was always assumed that she would have Gwaren to fall back on, there weren't many provisions made for her in case she outlived Cailan. This was one of three estates that she held the incomes on until her death. Once that occurred, then the properties reverted back to the crown.

She had never been to Daffodil House until Alistair sent her here to live. She hated it. Oh, the place was a decent size and the gardens were beautiful in the summer. What she despised was the lack of company and not being at the center of things. It had been hard for her to give up the work and responsibility she had in helping Cailan to run the kingdom. To be reduced to having the decision on what they were having for dinner as the high point of her day wasn't what she had been used to. She eventually adjusted, especially after a few of her ladies had joined her. She'd never been much for gossiping with other women, but she learned how these past years because it was the best way for her to keep up with what was happening at court. Her ladies were allowed to come and go from the estate as she could not. They were the ones who brought her fresh news and fresh fashions from Denerim.

She had been dreaming of the day she would be free of Daffodil House for so long that when it arrived, it seemed almost surreal. Anora had never been sure exactly which of the guards were in her ally's pay so the only person she ever spoke to about her hope of escape was Erlina. She was able to leave the house and carry the messages between Anora and her ally. The day of her escape started just like every other since she arrived here almost four years ago. Anora had always been an early riser and kept to that pattern. She had been up that morning already attending to her correspondence for the day (she had plenty of time for letter writing) with Erlina attending to mundane daily tasks in the background. Suddenly, the door to her room was thrown open and Captain Scott entered into the room. Anora looked up in surprise.

The man strode across the room and went to one knee before her. "My queen, I'm here to escort you away from this place."

Anora went still with shock for just a moment. She had never had one inkling that Captain Scott was one of _her_ guards. Then, she jumped up and started issuing orders to Erlina about what they would need to take.

"Quickly, my queen," urged Captain Scott. "We must leave immediately."

She had to leave most of her possessions behind, but she had gone quite willingly with Captain Scott and his men to the stables. There more of the captain's men had horses ready, and for the first time in four years, Anora was away from Daffodil House. They headed north toward the shoreline. Once there they had followed it east for the next few days, only heading inland to rest for a few hours during the night.

Captain Scott apologized profusely for the discomforts and roughness of their travel, but Anora hadn't really cared. She pressed Captain Scott for where they were heading. He finally told her that they were to travel to Denerim where her ally would meet her and she could reclaim her throne. They were supposed to meet up with a few of his men with the confirmation that everything was proceeding as planned, but Anora wondered what was really going on. She didn't like not knowing exactly what the plan was. Captain Scott claimed that he only had orders from his employer and wasn't informed of all the details. Anora thought the man was lying and that he knew more than he was telling her. However, he remained unfailingly polite, and Anora couldn't find anything to fault with his manner of addressing her or the discipline he held his men in. Three days after her escape, two more men joined them with supplies. Anora could tell that Captain Scott was questioning them, but Anora couldn't get close enough to overhear. The uncertainty was driving her crazy.

Their party continued to follow the shoreline. Anora finally figured out that they were using the tides to wash away their trail on the beaches each day, and the men were being extremely careful about their inland campsites. Each morning, two of the escorts were last out of the camp, and they removed as many traces of their party's passage as possible.

Then one morning, they didn't leave camp. One of Captain Scott's men rode hastily away. When Anora questioned the captain, he told her that he had sent the man on ahead to meet a messenger to make sure everything was prepared for their arrival in Denerim. He also informed her they would stay here until the man returned with news.

In a way Anora was glad to have a day not spent on horseback. She just wished they had proper accommodations besides the tent she was forced to share with Erlina. She spent the day walking and sitting on the beach with Erlina as they were trailed by some of Captain Scott's men. That evening they had their own separate fire, and Erlina heated water so Anora could bathe inside the tent in privacy. Even the food was starting to bother Anora. Her father may have been a great campaigner, but she was used to decent food prepared by a decent chef. Travel rations were not up to her usual standards. This night, they had fresh meat, although unevenly cooked, as one of the men had shot a deer that day.

Once again the next morning, they waited. They waited through lunch. They waited through the afternoon. Anora tired of waiting. Finally, in the evening hours, the man returned. Captain Scott took him immediately to his tent and would not allow her to join them. Anora was _not pleased_. The guards outside the captain's tent refused to allow her close enough to overhear anything. Finally, after what seemed a long time, the man left the tent. Anora immediately made to follow him, but Captain Scott called her and invited her and Erlina into his tent. He told her that his man had met a messenger from his employer and that the situation had changed. They were no longer heading to Denerim. It wasn't safe for her there as King Alistair was still in control of the city and the country. The plan to remove him hadn't worked quite as expected. Captain Scott had new orders to take her to a place that was more secure and where she would be safe.

Anora didn't like the sound of that one bit. She'd had enough of being sent off at someone else's bidding. She demanded he take her to Denerim. The captain politely refused. She ranted and raved. He refused again. She offered to double his pay. He laughed and told her she didn't have enough sovereigns. Anora left his tent with his laughter ringing in her ears. She heard him come out and order a guard to watch her so she didn't try to flee in the night. She knew now that the pretense that she was queen and in charge had fallen away. The men were still polite and kept their distance, but no more effort was made to pretend that it was her wishes that were being followed.

The next morning they broke camp early and were on their way. The following few days were merciless. The captain drove them hard trying to cover as much ground as they could. Some days they followed the shoreline when possible and other days they traveled more inland. About a week and a half after leaving Daffodil House, they arrived at their destination. Anora wasn't sure exactly where she was. She just knew they were somewhere along the northern border of Ferelden as they were still often within sight of the Waking Sea. The building started out small and then grew in size as they drew nearer. Anora's heart sank as she realized this was where they were headed. It looked to be a smallish-sized manor house. What it was doing located out on the edges of Ferelden, Anora had no idea. It looked so out of place, like it had been scooped up and transplanted here from a cheerful countryside setting. With the wind off the water and sitting on the rise that overlooked the sea, the house seemed to huddle into itself.

Captain Scott and his men rode right up to the doors. There were a few servants, who obviously were more caretakers of the place than actual servants. Still some effort had been made to make rooms ready for them. The horses were taken to the small stables behind the house while Captain Scott, two other guards, Erlina, and Anora all entered the house. A meal was prepared and brought to Anora, which she ate with the taste of ashes in her mouth. Captain Scott then proceeded to fill her in on her new house rules, where she could go and who she would be accompanied by. It was obvious that he was planning that they would stay here for the immediate future and that she would be under guard the entire time. When she pressed him for how long, he couldn't or wouldn't answer her.

Anora was angry and frustrated. First, Arl Howe had captured her, then Alistair had her imprisoned at Daffodil House, and now her _supposed ally_ was holding her. Oh yes, it was a very respectful, very comfortable sort of detainment, but confinement it was. When she had left Daffodil House, she had been so sure her days of being a prisoner were over. To once again be held against her will was almost enough to break even her spirit. However, Anora vowed that some day she would be free of those who held her, and when she was, her life would be under her own control.

* * *

_A.N.: So now we see where the messenger at the end of 'What Comes Next' was riding to._

_Thanks to melismo who made a special effort to get this chapter beta read for me before leaving on vacation. I must also thank Erynnar and Ladyamesindy for the discussion on Ferelden's geography, just where Alistair could find grain for the winter, and when ships could sail between various ports. Lastly, thanks to all the readers and reviewers. I appreciate each one of you. _


	10. Wedded Bliss?

Elandria came slowly awake to the scent of the crushed flower Alistair had tucked behind her ear last night. She kept her eyes closed, but a small smile curved her lips as she remembered their first night together since before the Blight had ended. As she laid there drifting between sleep and wakefulness, she felt Kellin stirring beside her. She opened her eyes and rolled her head to look at him. He pushed his body up off the bed and rubbed at his eyes with one hand as he looked at her, "Mamae?" he asked questioningly.

"Shh," she said quietly. She reached out and put her arms around him to pull him close to her. "Come here, little one. Don't wake your father," she whispered.

Kellin quite happily put his head on her chest while his mouth split open in a huge yawn. They laid there for a bit with Elandria stroking his hair until he began to wake up and started moving around. They slipped out of the bed as quietly as they could.

Elandria knew she had a dressing robe somewhere in the room, but where it was exactly, she didn't have a clue. She scooped up a tunic of Alistair's, which was thrown on the floor by the bed. She drew it on over her linen underclothing and it fell down below her knees on her. Her mouth quirked in a smile as she saw how dwarfed she was in it, but figured she was dressed decently enough to take Kellin next door. She raked her hands through her hair and pulled out the flower Alistair had given her last night. She sat it gently on a bedside table. She spared a moment to gaze fondly down at her new husband. Alistair laid on his back with his head rolled away from her. He had one arm behind his head and his other hand resting on his stomach. She could tell by watching the movement of his chest with each breath he took that he was still deeply asleep.

She took Kellin's hand and they moved toward the door to his suite.

* * *

Zynalla knew nothing about the events at the palace when she arose that morning. She went through her normal routine of dressing and having breakfast before kissing her father goodbye and leaving for the palace. She had only taken two steps from her door before the early winter breeze knifed through her. She huddled in her uniform and quickened her pace. There was no way she could wear the coat she had worn for the past few years to the prince's suite. It was threadbare and worn and had stains from her time in the kitchens. No, until she knew if she was going back to the kitchens or staying with the young prince, she would just have to get by without one.

Stretching her stride and walking briskly soon had warmed her up a bit. By the time she left the alienage and headed towards the palace, she was almost comfortable. When she arrived at the servant's entrance, she was in for a surprise. There was a line of elven servants waiting to be admitted. Zy fell into the line and asked the elderly woman in front of her what was going on. The woman eagerly turned to spread the news to a fresh ear.

"Didn't you hear, lovey? They tried to kill the king last night!"

"No! Who? What happened?" Zy remembered how the king's presence had filled Kellin's bedchamber, but yet how he had taken the time to speak to her and try and make her feel better when she had fallen. She hoped nothing bad had happened to him.

"I heard five men attacked him, but 'is new wife magicked them dead," the woman said in a staged whisper.

"That can't be right," declared Zy. She decided she would wait and ask the guardian what had happened. He would surely know the truth and would be able to tell her.

"That's what I 'eard. Anyway, they is searching all of us before letting us in."

Zy looked at the line. She hoped that it wouldn't take long. She didn't want to be late. She waited patiently as the line snaked its way to the door and listened to the chatter around her. She heard three different stories about the events of last night before she even made it into the building. Once she had arrived at the head of the line, one of the guards who was controlling it directed her to two others who were just finishing searching an elven man.

"Go on then," said one of the guards, giving the man a cruel push to move him off. He turned to Zy and his face lit up. He waved to her to come up to he and his partner.

"Now then, we have to search you and make sure you don't have any weapons. We don't want anything to happen to King Alistair now, do we?" asked the man.

"No, of course not," said Zy softly.

Zy stared straight ahead as she felt the men's hands start to pat her down. One of the guards "accidentally" brushed her breast while he was searching. Zy felt her face flame, but she knew it would be worse if she said anything. Finally, the men were done. The man behind her patted her on the rear and said, "Off with you now. Though if you are ever looking for company, you just come and find us. Norbert and I can show you a real good time."

Zy didn't answer. She just hurried off with her fists clenched. She hated not protesting her treatment by the guards, but she had seen enough in her short life and heard enough horror stories in the alienage to know how things were for elves, especially elven women.

Zy moved as fast as she could through the hallways, almost running in her haste to get to Kellin's suite. She was happy to see Corporal Conall as one of the guards on Kellin's bedchamber door. He had been nice to her the day he had shown her the way through the palace. "Good morning, Corporal," Zy said with a small bob as she prepared to enter the room.

"Good morning, Mistress Zynalla," replied Conall with a grin. He flashed her an appreciative look as her appearance was much different from when he had seen her fresh from the kitchens.

Zy pushed the door open and smiled back at the corporal as she entered. She shut the door and was about to turn and face the room when she felt herself grabbed and pulled back against a strong body, "Hum," a voice purred in her ear. "What do we have here?" The melodiously accented voice went on to answer his own question. "A beautiful young _elven _woman. Tell me, my dear, what are you doing here and what can Zevran do for you?" His hands held her firmly against him with one on her waist and the other loosely around her neck. She felt his fingers begin to stroke the delicate skin he found there.

Torin had heard the door and exited his room for Kellin's. "Let go of her," he ordered sharply when he saw that Zevran was holding Zynalla.

Zevran looked over at Torin and raised an eyebrow. This was interesting. "Tell me, my dear, did you come to see me? I would have visited Alistair before if I had known he was in the habit of sending such beautiful women to his visitors." Zev continued to watch Torin, but he was in no hurry to remove his hands from the girl.

Zy wasn't sure if she should try to pull away or stay where she was. "I-I'm Prince Kellin's servant," she finally settled on saying.

Torin strode across the room anger apparent in every muscle as his eyes bore into Zevran.

"Ah, I see," said Zevran as he released Zy and stepped back. "I apologize. I did not mean to intrude," he said with a small bow in Torin's direction. "I did not realize she was your woman,"

"Wait, no," said Zy in horror. "You think.. I'm not…"

"No," Torin said loudly so that he drowned her out. "She's not my woman, as you so quaintly describe her, but she deserves better than to be manhandled like a common whore."

Zevran could barely keep the smile off his face. "I apologize once again then for misunderstanding the situation. Come, let us be friends. Introduce us."

Torin gritted his teeth. "Mistress Zynalla, this is Zevran Arainai. He is a friend of Elandria's and the king. Zevran, this is Mistress Zynalla. She helps in the care of Prince Kellin."

"Call me Zev, my dear. All my friends do. I think we will be great friends."

Elandria had come through the door with Kellin while Torin was speaking. "Zynalla, ignore Zevran's flirting."

Zevran was put out. "How do you know I was flirting with her?" he asked rather grumpily.

"Oh Zev, really. She's over fourteen and quite pretty. Of course, you flirted with her!" replied Elandria with a grin.

"Ah, my Warden, I fear you know me too well," said Zevran with a theatrical sigh.

"Nalla," said Kellin joyously. "Sing my song. Sing it for me!"

Zy moved away from both Torin and Zevran and squatted down to his level. "If you want me to later, then I will," she promised. "But, I think first we need to get you dressed and some breakfast in that tummy. Maybe there will even be pancakes!" she finished with a smile.

Elandria was glad to see Kellin take to the young elven girl. The fact that she had remembered his favorite breakfast food was a mark in her favor in Elandria's book. She watched as Zy took Kellin by the hand and they went over to his clothes press to find him some clean clothes for the day. Elandria turned her attention to Zevran and Torin. Zevran's eyes were following Kellin.

"I'll introduce you as soon as Zynalla gets him dressed," Elandria said softly.

"Poor child. He looks amazingly like our favorite ex-templar," commented Zevran. "Still I suppose all hope is not lost. Alistair managed to win you after all."

Elandria playfully swatted Zevran in the arm, "Quit being so mean."

Zevran held up his hands in mock surrender. "I give up," he said. He turned his attention from Kellin to her. "I see you still insist on stealing Alistair's clothes," he commented.

Elandria flushed, but just threw him a glare and asked, "Any problems last night?"

"No," Zevran said. "There were no attempts to get in this room. Although Torin and I discovered a passage and followed it to the outlet."

"Really?" Elandria commented with interest.

"Yes," Torin said. "It goes all the way to the bottom level of the palace and exits near the prison cells. We want to do some more investigating and see if there another way out of the palace from there."

"I believe there may be other entrances to the passage lower in the palace. When I have the chance, I will search for them," Zevran said.

Elandria wrinkled a brow in thought. "What about securing these rooms from the passage? How do we do that?

"I've set a few traps in the passage itself," replied Zevran. "The entrance swings out into the room so we could put a heavy chest in front of the entrance here, but the best guard is having someone always with Kellin. Perhaps you should have him stay in Torin's room until the immediate danger is over?"

"Agreed," said Torin to Zevran. "And I don't want to put a guard at the exit at the other end. That just signifies that there is something that needs guarding. If whoever was behind the attempt last night had known about the passage, they would have used it then."

"Alistair wants to keep this all quiet. Are you going to tell Kellin's other guards about the attempt? And what about Zynalla? Are you going to tell her?" Elandria asked Torin.

Torin looked at her and realized she was leaving the decision to him. He thought quickly, honored at the trust she was showing in him. "I think I shall tell Ser Bryce, but not the other guards. With the attempt on the king public knowledge, it only makes sense that we would increase precautions for Kellin as well. I will talk to Ser Bryce about setting up a split shift for us, much like Ser Hugh and Ser Adair use on the king's detail."

Elandria nodded and raised an eyebrow in the direction of Zynalla, who was still involved in assisting Kellin in his morning routine. "What about her?" she asked.

"What do you think?"

"Well, I'd hate to see harm come to her because of someone trying to get to Kellin," answered Elandria.

"I'll play it by ear," Torin said. "My gut says we can trust her to keep her mouth shut, but I may wait a bit before telling her."

"Fair enough," Elandria agreed. "Oh Zev, by the way, I want you to start teaching Torin some of your skills with poisons, traps, and such if you would be so kind. I also think you two should spar together. I've tried to give him some pointers on two-weapon style, but you've forgotten more about it than I ever learned to begin with."

Zevran nodded his head in acquiescence. "As you wish, my Warden."

* * *

Elandria moved quietly to the side of the bed allowing Alistair's tunic and her underclothing and smallclothes to drop to the floor. Alistair seemed to still be asleep. She slid back under the covers and enjoyed the sensation of pressing herself against him. She still found the fact that she would be able to go to sleep beside him every night and wake with him there every morning a hard truth to believe. She had been trying to push aside her thoughts and feelings for him for so long, it felt strange to be able to give them free rein. She tried not to bother him and let him sleep, but it wasn't long before she wasn't able to resist the urge to touch him. She ran a finger lightly up his arm and across his chest as she laid curled beside him.

"Um, that feels wonderful," he said without opening his eyes. "But you'd better be careful. I have a wife around here somewhere, and there's a rumor she's jealous."

"Is that so?" said Elandria. "Just how jealous is this wife of yours?"

Alistair rolled over on top of her, turning her beneath him so she laid on her back as he did so. "Hugely, insanely jealous," he began. "Hey, you're naked!"

"Very observant of you, my king," Elandria teased him.

"Well, my jealous wife, I think we should do something about that," he said as he dropped his head to start nuzzling the sensitive areas of her neck and ear.

"What an excellent idea," she agreed as her body came alive under his touch.

* * *

Zevran, Torin, Zynalla, and Kellin had all had breakfast together (which did include pancakes). They decided that Zy and Kellin (with an appropriate guard) would go down to the salle and watch Zevran and Torin work out. Zynalla didn't know much about weapons, but watching the two elves and seeing the other guards who were at their own training, she could tell they were in a class by themselves. Their graceful blocks, turn, and spins as they worked was almost like watching two cats at play. Evidently, Torin's workouts with Elandria had taught Torin many of Zevran's practice moves and the two were able to develop a routine quickly.

Kellin was beside himself with excitement. This was the first time he had been to the salle and he could hardly stay still long enough to watch. Zy was constantly afraid he would dash off and accidentally get skewered with a weapon. She kept a firm hold on his hand. He kept chattering about how Torin was going to give him his first dagger on his birthday. The two men were still working when Kellin's attention span was at its limit. When she called out that she was going to take Kellin to the stables to see his pony, she was surprised at the response from Torin and Zevran. They immediately stopped what they were doing and stated they would accompany them. Zy was still curious about what had really happened with the king last night and had been hoping to get the guardian by himself to be able to ask him. Evidently, Zevran was staying with them all day. She wondered if this had something to do with the attempt on the king last night. As they were all heading to the stable, she finally raised her courage enough to ask.

"What happened at the palace last night? I heard something about an attack on the king?" she asked. Zy didn't miss the quick glance that went between Torin and Zevran.

"There was an assassination attempt on the king," confirmed Torin. "It obviously failed." With one more look at Zev, who nodded in agreement, Torin put his hand on her shoulder. "Da'len, you go with Uncle Zevran. Mistress Zynalla and I will catch up with you."

Kellin looked shyly up at Zevran, the gray man. Kellin didn't know him, but mamae had said he could be trusted. Kellin hesitantly took the hand that Zevran held out to him. Zevran smiled down at him and asked him a question about his pony. With his favorite subject at hand, Kellin led the way chattering at a smiling Zevran the whole way. Torin and Zynalla stayed on the path while Zevran, Kellin, and the three other guards continued on their way to the stables.

Torin turned to Zynalla. "I'm going to tell you something that needs to remain a secret," he said quietly. "I think you deserve to know and can help to make sure Kellin stays safe. There wasn't just an attempt on the king. There was an assassin sent after Kellin as well. I killed him," he stated baldly. "The king has decreed that this is to stay a secret. Even most of Kellin's other guards don't know anything about it. We are using the attempt on the king as our excuse for upgraded security. That's why Zevran has been staying so close today.

"I can't believe someone would want to harm the prince," she replied in a low voice. "He's such a sweet child."

"I doubt Kellin's sweetness had anything to do with it. The king seems to think it is an attempt to take the throne, and Kellin is second in line and would be an obstacle to that even if the king were removed," replied Torin. "Anyway, I just wanted you to be aware of the danger and ask that you keep your eyes open when you are around Kellin. There will be more guards than normal for a while so if you see _anything_ that gives you pause, you tell one of the guards, understand?"

"Yes, guardian," said Zynalla with a nod. "I understand and I won't say anything to anyone either."

"My name is Torin," he said. "You can call me that."

Zy demurely dropped her eyes. "Yes…Torin," she said shyly.

* * *

Alistair and Elandria were lying sated in their bed. She was snuggled up to his chest. Alistair was lying on his back with his eyes closed.

"It's going to be hard to give him a near-normal life, you know," Elandria finally said.

"Kellin?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "I'd like to try though. When he gets older, I'd like him to spend some time each year with different groups of people. Send him to the dwarves, the elves, heck, even the mages. If he stays here in the palace all the time, he'll just turn into another human noble with no real view of the world. You make such a good king because you've seen the way the world really is and traveled widely before coming to this rarified lifestyle. I don't want him to grow up just in this bubble in the palace."

"The idea has merit. We'd have to make sure of his safety," mused Alistair. "I never considered fatherhood as planning someone's future. Of course, I never expected…" he trailed off.

Elandria propped herself up on an elbow to look at him. His eyes were closed, but she could see the lines of pain around them. "Alistair, did you want to talk about your daughter?" she asked softly.

"Moira," he said. "Her name was Moira."

"I know," Elandria replied. "Tell me about Moira."

"I don't have a lot to tell. She was only a few days old when she died. She was dark-haired like most babies with blue eyes. I don't think she would have kept them though because both mine and her mother's were dark. It hurts so much that I will never know her, Lanie. I'll never watch her first steps or hear her call me father. The first time I held her in my arms it was like a miracle, but that happiness only lasted for a day. Wynne came to me the next morning carrying her in her arms. She had detected the taint in Moira and wanted me to confirm it."

"Oh no, Alistair! I'm so sorry."

"I worried the entire pregnancy that she would be tainted after I saw those records from the Wardens. Turns out I was right to worry."

"I wish I could say something to make it better, but I know I can't. All I can say is I'm sorry you had to go through that and that you lost your little girl. I can't imagine how horrible it was." Elandria laid her head back down on his chest and stroked him soothingly.

"I still think about her all the time. Nobody mentions her though. It's like everyone is afraid to."

"I'm sure no one wants to upset you and that they think it is kinder to not mention her. Anytime you want to talk about Moira though, we can. I wish I could have seen her. I bet she would have wrapped you around her little finger. I've always heard little girls do that to their fathers. Did you-did you love her mother?" she asked without looking directly at him.

"Briana?" he said in surprise. "I like her very much. She is very different from you, but I think you would like her if you ever met her. I care about her, but no, I don't love her. I can't. I told you years ago you would always hold my heart and you still do. Did you have anyone special while you were with the Dalish?"

Somehow Elandria couldn't see her and Briana being friends, but she let that comment pass. "It was different for me," she said in answer to his question. "Kellin was always my main concern. Once he was born, some of the elves backed away from being friends with me."

"Why?"

"Do you think humans are the only ones who are prejudiced, Alistair? I had a human baby. To some I was little better than a common whore." She felt Alistair get indignant underneath her but pressed against him to hold him down. "Not everyone, of course. And there weren't many young single men left in the camp between the werewolf curse and the men lost in the final battle in Denerim; it wouldn't have done much good if I had been looking for someone, which I wasn't. If you remember, the elves took heavy causalities that night in helping us. No, the only male I was worried about during that time was our son," Elandria was quiet trying to decide if this was the time to tell him about the desire demon and its ties to her.

"Alistair, I do have something I need to-"

There was a pounding on the door followed by Hugh's voice, "Sire, there's a message that's arrived."

"Damn," said Alistair as he started to get up.

"It's for the Warden," Hugh called.

Elandria looked at Alistair in surprise. "For me?" She jumped up digging for some clothes. She finally located a pair of leggings and one of her tunics and she quickly pulled them on. She left the bedroom area and went to the door and opened it. Hugh handed her the message, "Thank you, Hugh," she said as she shut the door.

She walked back into the bedroom area where Alistair was still lounging in bed. "What is it?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," she said as she finished opening it and started to read. "Oh, by the Maker," she exclaimed.

"Well?"

She dropped her hands to stare at him. "It's from the Wardens. A contingent of them are arriving today from Amaranthine, and they want to meet with me."

"Not surprising," said Alistair with a shrug. "They've heard the news of you being alive and will want to hear your account."

Elandria rubbed her chin in thought. "Hum, I guess. I hope it's not an inquisition."

"Do they say who is coming?" Alistair asked.

"No," Elandria replied. "Just that 'The Grey Wardens request a meeting with the king's consort sometime today.' So they know of our marriage as well. I wonder if it is bad they address me as your wife instead of as a Warden?"

"Want me to be there with you?" Alistair asked.

"Would you?" Elandria looked at him hopefully.

"Of course," he said as he rose from the bed, dropping a kiss on the end of her nose. "Schedule it for later in the afternoon. I have a council meeting I have to go to shortly. Oh, I need to tell you about my meeting with Eamon late last night."

"You had a meeting with Eamon?"

"I did. You were sleeping so hard I didn't think you remembered me leaving."

"No, I don't," she said.

Alistair proceeded to fill her in about Anora's escape and the fire at the grain warehouses as they both went through their morning toilet. Alistair was just taking a last glance in the looking glass and fussing with his hair when he turned to her with a smile.

"You know," he said. "This is nice."

"What's nice?" she asked distractedly as she was pulling on her boots.

He waved his hands. "Us, being here together, getting ready for the day and talking. Normally, I just have Adwen who is only worried that my clothes hang right."

Elandria stood up and stamped a foot finally settling the boot. She smiled at him and went over to kiss him. "It is nice," she agreed. After a lingering kiss as she leaned into his body, she added, "Um, it's very nice. Good idea giving both Adwen and Ciannata some time off."

"All right, that's enough out of you, temptress. You keep that up and I'll be removing those clothes you just put on," he said as he firmly put her away from him and headed for the door.

"I'll see you later then." She called, "Alistair, be careful today. There still may be assassins about."

Alistair stuck his head back through the entrance of the bedroom area long enough to smile at her, say "I love you," and then he was gone to his meeting.

* * *

Once everyone had admired the pony, Torin tacked him up and led Kellin around the stable yard. The little boy was ecstatic and yelling for everyone to look at him because he was riding his horse. Torin's eye kept falling on Zynalla and Zevran as they stood together lightly chatting while he was occupied with the prince. He grew a little more irritated every time the assassin would smile down at the elven girl. After Kellin tired of being led around, Torin turned the pony over to a stablehand to take care of, and they all headed back to Kellin's suite for lunch.

After lunch, Zynalla began getting Kellin ready for a nap. Zevran decided he would check out the passageway for any other exits, and Torin left the suite for the guard posts outside so that he could talk to Ser Bryce.

Torin was amazed at how well that actually went. The man managed not to make one slur the entire time they spoke. Torin told him he was the only other guard being informed of what had actually happened, and he figured that helped mollify the man. Ser Bryce agreed to a split shift where he would be in command in the evenings. He would start tomorrow night as Zevran had agreed to stay one more night in Kellin's bed just in case. Once Torin finished his conversation with Ser Bryce, he entered the suite through the sitting room. He went a little ways into the open passageway, but he didn't see or hear Zevran. As he came back up the passageway, he could hear Zynalla singing to Kellin in the next room. He eased over to the door and observed as she rocked the little boy on her lap, unaware anyone was watching.

_Sleep, sleep, Little One_

_Till the light draws nigh _

_Sleep, sleep, My Love_

_Till the sun is high._

_Dream, Dream, Little One_

_Safe in the Fade_

_Dream, Dream, My Heart_

_Do as I bade_

_Wake, Wake, Little One_

_Welcome the day_

_Wake, Wake, My Child_

_Time to rise and play_

"Again, Nalla. Sing it 'gain," Kellin said sleepily.

Torin watched as Zynalla began the song again.

"A beautiful picture, no?" came a soft voice in his ear.

Torin jumped as he hadn't heard the other elf come up behind him. "Kellin's a beautiful child," he answered.

"Ah, but what about the girl? I think you were watching her more than the boy," said Zevran.

"No, I wasn't," denied Torin, rather untruthfully. "Besides I'm not the only one watching," he added in defense.

Zevran just chuckled. "Don't worry, my friend. She's too young for me. I enjoy the sight of a beautiful blossom as much as any man, but I prefer…riper fruit when the time comes for my own personal plucking. Now you, it would be most unnatural for you not to be drawn to such an exquisite picture of young elven beauty."

"I'm just looking out for her because she takes care of Kellin," said Torin uncomfortably.

Zevran threw back his head and laughed, causing Zy to turn sharply and look at the two men. He clapped his hand on Torin's shoulder, "Just keep telling yourself that," he said softly so only Torin could hear. "And maybe one day you might actually believe it."

* * *

Elandria was nervous about her upcoming interview with the Wardens, but she hoped she managed to hide it. She was in one of the meeting rooms at the palace that Alistair's clerk had arranged for her to use for the session with the Grey Wardens. She wondered where Alistair was. She had left the time and place with the clerk while he arranged the room for her so she was expecting Alistair to be here. She had sent a page to the Wardens' compound in the palace with the time and place as well. She and Alistair could have gone to the compound, but she preferred to have the advantage of holding the meeting on their turf.

Elandria sat at the head of the rectangular table that was already set up in the room. She noticed she was tapping her fingertips on the table while she waited, and she forced herself to stop. She heard voices as those approaching were challenged by her guards, and she rose to her feet.

A group of three male Wardens came in the door. Elandria felt a little easier as she realized one of them was Dalish. "Good afternoon, brothers," she greeted them.

The older human male who was obviously in charge gave a nod and said, "Same to you, sister," in a heavy Orlesian accent.

"I'm Elandria," she stated simply.

"I'm Warden-Commander Gerod. This is my third, Ashalle Altanori."

"Andaran atish'an, Warden Ashalle," Elandria greeted him.

The Dalish elf smiled at her and in a soft voice replied back, "Andaran atish'an, Warden Elandria."

The Warden-Commander cut right back in. "This is Warden Anders. He is in charge of all the Warden mages in Ferelden."

The handsome human male smiled at her and gave her a quick wave in greeting. Elandria had a hard time holding back her grin. "I remember you," she said. "You were a couple of years ahead of me at the tower, but you were always in trouble with the templars."

"I remember you as well," said Anders. "You were always in special classes with the first enchanter."

The smile slipped from her face. When she had saved the mages of the Circle, it had gone a long way to repairing her ties to the tower; however, the relationship between her and the first enchanter had been forever changed by her actions in dealing with Jowan and his phylactery. She had done as Irving had bid her, as was her duty, but she had never been able to really forgive him for forcing her to betray her friend, even though he had turned out to be practicing blood magic.

"Would you gentleman like to be seated? Alistair was supposed to be joining us, but he must have been held up. If you would like refreshments, I can send for a page."

"That won't be necessary. This isn't a social visit," said the Commander.

Elandria was already starting to feel a dislike for the man. "Well, what can I do for you?" she asked trying to hold on to her calm.

The Commander looked at the other two men and said, "Are we all agreed?" Both of the other Wardens nodded to him.

"To be honest, we weren't sure if we would find that you were really who you said you were. However, we all can feel the taint flowing within you and Warden Anders knows you from before. Perhaps you could tell us exactly what happened four years ago and why you aren't dead."

Elandria gave an inward sigh, but obediently launched into the whole story once again: Morrigan, the Brecilian Forest, discovering she was pregnant, traveling and searching for the Dalish, finding them, Kellin's birth. The only thing she left out was her trip to Denerim. She didn't figure it was any of their business.

"Why did you not return to the Wardens once you had recovered enough to travel?" asked the commander.

"I was almost five months pregnant at that point and had no clue where the Wardens were besides Weisshaupt Forest in the Anderfals. For personal reasons, I had no wish to contact Alistair at that point to find out where the Wardens had set up their base in Ferelden."

"The personal reasons being you were carrying his child, and he didn't know it, correct?"

Elandria clenched her hands into fists in her lap. "Yes," she reluctantly admitted.

"Once the child was born, why didn't you return to the Warden fold then?" he asked still in a domineering manner.

"Look," said Elandria as some of her calm deserted her. "I had just spent over a year traveling the length and breadth of Ferelden multiple times. I had to make some horrible decisions while doing so in the best interest of stopping the Blight. I had put a sword through the head of the archdemon and almost died. I was pregnant and alone until I found Lanaya and her clan. I wasn't in any condition mentally to carry on in any sort of coherent fashion. It took me a long time to regroup and put myself back together after that night on Fort Drakon. And I'll be _damned _if I'll sit here now and let you presume to judge me.

"You don't know the desperation Alistair and I felt along with the pressure of being the only two Wardens left in Ferelden during the Blight. Do you realize the crazy odds that we beat to even survive to have a chance at the archdemon, much less to actually kill it? Where were the Wardens when we needed help? Are you trying to tell me that in a year a few experienced Wardens couldn't have slipped through the border and found Alistair and me as we were traveling in order to help? There was so much the two of us didn't know. Alistair had been a Warden for six months and me for a handful of hours when Ostagar happened and everyone else was dead. If it hadn't been for Riordan, we wouldn't even have known about the need for a Grey Warden to strike the final blow. Care to tell me just why the Grey Wardens were so willing to abandon Ferelden to the Blight?"

_Where was Alistair? He was supposed to be here!_

* * *

Alistair had spent the afternoon in a long, drawn-out council meeting. First, the assassination attempt had been discussed in detail along with Hugh's and Eamon's plan for the response to that and his increased security. He had to hide his grin as some of the council members were realizing how helpful it could be to his safety that his new wife was a mage. Then the grain fires were discussed along with the plan to bring in more food from Antiva over the winter. Following that was a huge split in the council as how to pay for such a venture became the bone of contention. Several council members were in favor of raising the tribute required from each bann. Alistair was firmly against that because he knew exactly where the cost would be born, by the serfs who worked the fields. Chancellor Eamon received a message in the middle of the meeting and had departed. Alistair had groaned inwardly because he knew that he would have to stay to the end if Eamon wasn't here. Finally, the council broke up with no answers found, but a new session scheduled for the next day. Alistair vaulted out of his chair and started to head towards the chamber where Lanie's meeting with the Wardens was supposed to be. As he left the room, he was snagged by a messenger.

"Your Majesty," said the young man with downcast eyes. "The chancellor has requested that you come to his study immediately upon the ending of the session."

Alistair cursed. He knew he was already late, and if he went to Eamon's study now, he would miss Lanie's meeting with the Wardens all together.

"Please, your Majesty," said the lad. "He said it was urgent."

"Fine," said Alistair giving in to the inevitable and hoping Lanie would understand. He strode rapidly off, the boy not able to match the king's long legs, and even his guard had to hustle to keep up. Alistair was in such a rush he didn't even bother to knock on the door to Eamon's study. He threw it open and strode in.

He came to a sudden halt as the man in front of Eamon's desk turned to look at him. It was his ex-father-in-law, Briana's father. His mouth hung open in shock when the man went to one knee before him, grasped one of his hands, and begged him, "Please, your Majesty, you must find my daughter. You have to save Briana."

* * *

_A.N.: I owe thanks to two people in this chapter. First to Erynnar who helped me get the Zev groove going when I just had no clue what he would say. And secondly to Melismo, who is the world's fastest beta reader and literally turned this chapter around in a few hours. Thanks for the saves!_

_As always, my thanks go out to everyone who continues to follow the story. It's because of all you I keep staring at this screen in front of me and my mind keeps coming up with these crazy ideas. Thanks also to the ladies in the Google chatroom for all the support. You know who you are! _


	11. The Former Queen's Shadow

When Briana had walked out of Alistair's rooms all those months ago and then left the palace with her father, she had felt detached. She had spent almost the whole trip home in silence trying to figure out where things had gone wrong and what she wanted to do with her life. Her full detail of guards had come with her as Alistair had sent orders to Ser Fraser for them to stay with her wherever she decided to go. Once they arrived at the Bann of Waking Sea, she arranged with Revered Mother Gillian to stay at the chantry for a few weeks. She spent those first weeks in prayer, remembering her daughter, and taking counsel from the Revered Mother over what her course of action should be as far as she and Alistair were concerned. Finally, after much soul searching, she asked the Revered Mother to arrange for an annulment for them if possible.

She spent the next weeks while waiting for word from Denerim in slowly reacquainting herself with the places she had frequented as a child. She had only been away about 3-1/2 years, but in terms of how changed she was, it seemed much longer.

Bann Alfstanna was all graciousness to her and highly sympathetic of her loss. When she returned to the manor house from the chantry, Alfstanna had given her the best guest rooms for her use. Briana felt a little funny about it at first as she certainly hadn't rated such generous quarters growing up as a child. She soon adjusted to the situation, however. Alfstanna even allowed Briana to claim a small section of the gardens at the manor house for her own use. Briana set up a memorial to Moira and spread some of her ashes there. It comforted her somehow to know that a part of Moira rested here where Briana had been so happy as a child. Briana tried to spend at least a small part of each day there in the garden.

Briana had asked everyone to stop addressing her as "your Majesty" because she soon would not rate that title any longer. She was surprised when the paperwork for her annulment returned from the Chantry. Mother Gillian had requested Revered Mother Perpetua to act on her behalf in the settlement. She and Chancellor Eamon had worked out the details, and Briana was surprised how generous it was. Briana had more than sufficient funds to allow her to live, and she had been granted a small manor house for her use until such time as she remarried or until her death, when the property would revert back to the Crown. The name of the estate was Tirellan, and it was located on the eastern shore of Lake Calenhad. To her even greater surprise, she had been endowed with the title of princess. She was heretofore to be styled as Briana, Princess of Tirellan.

As the days went by and she was in no rush to leave for Tirellan, she found herself drawn back into her old routines. She started dropping by Master Drummond's workshop as she used to every day before she had left for those fateful balls at the palace where she had met Alistair. She was soon working in the still room with Master Drummond and helping him create his healing mixtures. This led to her assisting him with his patients, and before she knew it she was spending most of her days with him once again. As Briana went on rounds with the healer, she realized just how much she had missed the work that she had given up when she was carrying Moira.

And so time slipped away from her. Over the ensuing months after the annulment decree, most of her guards left for other employment as she no longer required that many men. Only Ser Fraser, Ser Albert, and Sgt Damian stayed on to guard her. In time, she found a contentment in serving Bann Alfstanna's people that she hadn't felt in a long while.

One day late in October, Briana and Ser Fraser were on their way back to the manor house. Briana had spent most of the afternoon attending to a sick child at one of the outer farm holdings. Briana was on a small palfrey with Ser Fraser mounted on a horse from Bann Alfstanna's stables that she graciously allowed them to use when Briana had distant calls to make. As they rounded a curve in the road with forest looming on both sides, the horses were spooked when something jumped out with a scream from behind them. As Briana and Ser Fraser both fought to bring their mounts under control, they were quickly surrounded.

"Stand down, Ser Knight," said a gruff voice. Ser Fraser looked up to see three men who had their bows trained on Briana. "Don't make me give the order to shoot," said another man who was obviously the leader. He was medium-sized with mismatched leather armor and flowing dark hair and beard. "You just climb down of that horse nice and easy," he continued.

Ser Fraser threw a desperate look at his mistress, but dismounted as he had been ordered. Two more men came up and began to bind him. One of them took his sword from his back and then slipped a dagger to his throat.

"Now, little lady, you do exactly what we say and neither of you has to get hurt, understand?" the man asked. "I don't have any wish to harm you, but I will if I'm forced to it."

Briana was afraid, but she held tight to her fear and tried not to let it show on her face. What did she know of armed men? She had never trained with a weapon in her life. Her gifts were in direct opposition to swordplay. Her talents lay in the knowledge and healing touch she delivered to those in need. "What do you want from us?" she asked.

"I want you to accompany me on a small journey."

"What? Why? Where?" cried Briana.

"Let's just say my employer has paid well for you to have a temporary change in location. As for where, a small house not terribly far from here. Shall we be on our way?"

Briana looked around in desperation. The man holding a bound Ser Fraser pushed the dagger against his throat hard enough to cause a small trickle of blood to roll down his neck. Briana's eyes opened wide in horror.

"Don't go-" Ser Fraser started to say before the dagger was removed and a fist connected with his gut. All the air was driven out of his lungs as he doubled over in pain. His hair was then grasped and his head yanked back. The dagger once again was laid along his neck.

"It's up to you, lady," said the leader with a shrug of his shoulders. "We can torment your man some more if you like."

"We'll come with you," Briana answered as she was not going to allow Ser Fraser to come to any more harm for her sake.

"Very good," replied the man with an evil smile. "I just knew you would see things my way."

The small band that had taken Briana and Ser Fraser was soon on the move again. Horses had appeared from the trees as if by magic, and one of the men put Ser Fraser's horse on a leading rein and he was tied to his saddle. The dark-haired leader rode up by Briana. "This way," he said gruffly before turning his horse's head in the direction he wanted them to travel.

* * *

After Elandria's outburst, none of the other Wardens spoke for a moment. Then Ashalle smoothly took charge for the Wardens. He deftly maneuvered the Commander into agreeing to allow him to continue the questioning by reminding him that there were other duties that needed to be attended to while they were here in Denerim. The Commander could handle the search for new recruits while Ashalle wrapped up questioning of Elandria. Commander Gerod agreed and left the room. Anders went with him as he had declared he had "no mabaris in this fight." He had done his part by helping to confirm her identity.

After the two humans left the room, the tension level dropped sharply. After nearly four years with the Dalish, Elandria felt comfortable with Ashalle as a man of the clans. They talked for a bit longer, but Elandria was anxious to find out where Alistair was and what had held him up. She knew it must have been something important for Alistair not to have made it here as he had told her he would. They agreed to meet again the next day, and then Ashalle left to go to the Wardens' compound in the palace while she headed off to find Alistair.

When Elandria left the room, she and her accompanying guards headed for Alistair's study first. Not seeing his bodyguards outside, she knew he wasn't there. She continued down the palace hallway and made the turn around the corner that led to Eamon's study. There she saw three of Alistair's men standing around the door. When she went to walk up to the door, one of the men stepped in front of it and held out a hand.

"I'm sorry, Warden. We have instructions that the king and the chancellor are not to be disturbed," the guard said.

Elandria just crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and _looked_ at him. They stood that way for a few minutes until the man finally broke first and said, "I'm sorry, really I am. Ser Hugh told us we were not to allow _anyone_ in. We are just doing our jobs."

Elandria decided not to cause a scene with the guards and dropped her arms. "Keith, isn't it?"

"Yes, Warden," said the man with a slight bob of the head.

"Will you let the king know I was looking for him when he comes out. I'll be in the salle."

"Of course," Keith replied with obvious relief.

As Elandria walked away, she heard one of the other guards say to Keith, "You could have told her about the queen's father."

Keith replied in a low voice (but not low enough), "It's not my place. If the king wants her to know, he'll tell her. If not, it's none of her business."

_Briana's father? What was he doing here? _

* * *

With his ex-father-in-law on his knee before him begging him to find Briana, all Alistair could think to say was, "Of course, we'll find her." Alistair raised his eyes to Eamon and threw him questioning look.

Eamon said, "Let's all sit down and discuss the situation calmly."

Gordan, Briana's father, rose to his feet and took the seat he had risen from when the king had entered the study while Alistair sat down in the other chair.

"Now, what exactly has happened?" Alistair asked looking at Gordan.

"About five days ago, Briana went out to visit a sick child on one of the outlying farms around Waking Sea," began Gordan. "We didn't start getting alarmed until that evening when she and Ser Fraser didn't return to the manor house. The next morning, one of the bann's tenants brought a message to me. Of course, they couldn't read it and the only thing they could tell me was that a man had asked one of their young children to deliver it. The child could not describe the man when asked about it later." Gordan fumbled in his belt pouch and brought out a creased sheet and handed it to Alistair.

Alistair took it and read the simple message, _We have your daughter. No harm will come to her as long as the king does as he is told._

Alistair looked at Eamon in confusion. "Do you know anything about this? Have we received any kind of demand from Briana's captors?"

"No, Sire, not that I'm aware of," answered Eamon.

Alistair just grunted in response and turned his attention back to Gordan. "Did you institute a search for her?"

The man looked almost offended. "Of course we did. The best hunter in Bann Alfstanna's employ went to try and trail her and couldn't. He claimed she had been taken by a fairly large group, but said it looked as if members of the party had split off multiples times in different directions to try and confuse anyone attempting to trail them. What her captors couldn't know was that one of the shoes on Briana's palfrey had a distinct mark where the shoe had been nicked. The blacksmith had checked it and was planning to replace the shoe, but hadn't yet done the job. The hunter eventually lost the trail east of Kinloch Hold. He thought they may have been heading towards The North Road, but he couldn't say so positively. I left that evening when the men came back after losing the trail to come to Denerim, to you. Please, Alistair-I mean your Majesty, I know you two aren't married any more, but you have to save her!"

"Don't worry, Gordan," said Alistair soothingly. "I have no intention of allowing anything to happen to Briana. Eamon, have you made arrangements for Gordan while he is here?"

"Yes, Sire. I've already given orders to that effect to the servants. Gordan, you will have the same rooms as on your last visit."

Alistair turned to the man once again. "Why don't you go, freshen up, and get something to eat. Eamon and I will discuss the matter and see what can be done."

"I should be here. She's my daughter!" replied Gordan.

"I promise we won't do anything without informing you," Alistair said. "Please, let us handle this. We need clear heads so we can get her back safely."

Gordan, never an overpowering personality, seemed to deflate as he gave in to the king's persuasion. "I-I guess that will be okay, but I want to know what is happening."

Eamon rose from his desk and shepherded Gordan from his study. "Of course you do. I'll make sure you are kept informed," Eamon promised.

Once Gordan left the room, Alistair turned to Eamon. "What is going on? Is the whole country going crazy? Why would anyone kidnap Briana and then not issue any demands after insinuating they would?"

Eamon shook his head as he dropped wearily back into his chair and rested his chin on his hand. "I'm not sure, Alistair. I can't put my finger on whether this is a series of unrelated events or if it is an attack upon your leadership of the country. With Briana being taken, it seems to point more towards the latter. You certainly cannot afford to ignore the situation. You are going to need to be seen as taking action to get her back. Briana was very popular in an understated sort of way, and with the loss of your daughter and the subsequent annulment, I have heard talk among the nobles that they feel she wasn't treated very well."

"Wait a minute," Alistair protested. "She was the one who left me and wanted the annulment!"

"It doesn't matter," said Eamon firmly. "Plus with your marriage to Elandria…"

"No, Eamon. I'm not going there. Elandria and Kellin are the two people that make this whole king thing worthwhile and I'm not giving her up now." Alistair declared defensively.

"I wasn't asking you to. I've said all I'm ever going to say on that subject in the past, and you _are _legally married by the Chantry. However, you cannot afford to seem to be callous concerning Briana. You have to be seen to be making an effort to find her."

"More than be seen, I do want to find her. I still care about Briana, and I certainly don't wish any harm to come to her."

"Good. What do you want to do then?" asked Eamon.

Alistair sat back, thinking as he spoke. "I know most of our trackers are out trying to find Anora. My first instinct is to see if Zevran would go. He has many skills, but following someone through the countryside certainly isn't one of them. There isn't anyone better at ferreting out information, though. Plus, Zev met Briana years ago. He would at least recognize her if he saw her." His mind made up, Alistair continued, "I'll speak with him this evening and see if he would be willing. He may not even want to go, and I certainly can't force him."

"Who do you want to send with him to help with following the trail?" asked Eamon.

"That's the question, isn't it? Even though Zevran has been out of the Denerim the past few years, perhaps he may know someone. His contacts are incredible. How he does it, I'll never figure out." Alistair admitted with a shake of his head. With that he started to rise from his seat, "I need to find Elandria. She's probably quite upset with me. I promised her I would attend the meeting with the Wardens with her, but I came here instead."

Eamon tiredly raised a hand. Alistair could see the ingrained lines of fatigue in his face, "A moment, if you would?"

Alistair looked at him questioningly but stopped in his movement toward the door, "Yes?"

"I've had the report from the man I put in charge of the granary fires investigation. It definitely was arson. The troubling part is that there was a-a disturbance while the investigation was taking place."

Alistair placed both hands on the back of the chair he had just vacated and leaned against it as he asked, "What kind of disturbance?"

"There was a gathering of malcontents. It seems they have even begun to organize. They are calling themselves.." Eamon broke off to look down at a report on his desk, "Humans for Ferelden or HFF for short. The guards broke up the protesters before things became too serious. Evidently, there was name calling and shouted demands about 'putting the non-human races back in their places' but no real violence, thank the Maker."

Alistair just shook his head in disbelief.

"And you will never guess who appeared to be leading them…. our old friend, Goodman Campbell."

Alistair pushed off against the chair as he spun around in disgust and began pacing the area in front of Eamon's desk. "Too bad someone doesn't drop that man down a well somewhere and save us all from his trouble-making."

"As much as I may happen to agree with you, I don't think that is likely to happen any time soon."

"What is causing all this…unrest all of a sudden, Eamon? Have you heard anything?" Alistair asked.

Eamon looked at him.

Alistair groaned, "I know that look. It means I'm not going to like what you are about to say, but you're going to tell me any way. Go ahead. I'm braced for it."

"I believe it is springing from your wedding."

"What? Why would you think that?"

"There is no doubt that marrying Elandria has weakened you politically with the nobility. There was no strategic alliance to come out of it, no tying together of two great families, and no benefit to Ferelden as there would have been if you had married a foreign princess. Someone may think this is the perfect time to try and maneuver you off the throne; someone who thinks they have a chance to replace you."

"I don't really care what any of the nobles think about this marriage," replied Alistair. "I married for Ferelden once; this time was my turn. It's not like I'm trying to force her down the nobility's throat. I'm not demanding they make her queen or even give her any title. Why does it matter so much to others who I marry?"

"That's a naïve question and you already know the answers to it," Eamon answered shortly. "The other factor is what she is. Magic scares most people silly as you well know, and her elven heritage, well, we've gone over this many times in the past. I don't need to repeat it."

"No, you don't," Alistair said sharply.

"One more piece of bad news before you go. Teyrn Ranald and his wife quietly left town this morning."

Alistair cocked a brow at Eamon, "That's unusual. He normally follows the protocol of seeing me and requesting permission before leaving town."

"Y-e-s," said Eamon slowly.

"Back to this again, are we? I still don't think Ranald and Aileen have anything to do with this."

"Think as you like; however, just don't let your personal beliefs about the goodness of a person blind you to the facts."

"Find me facts and I'll act on them," promised Alistair grimly. "Now if there is nothing else, I need to go find my wife."

* * *

_A.N.: Sorry this is a shorter chapter than normal, but I'm getting ready to leave to visit family for a week and I wanted to get something out before I left. I won't have the chance to write while I'm gone so I'm not sure how long it will be until the next update. Once vacation is over, hopefully things will get back to normal and I can update regularly.  
_

_I owe a big THANK YOU to Arsinoe de Blassenville for our discussion on titles and just how to handle Alistair and Briana's annulment. Melismo has once again proven to be the fastest beta in the west and saved me from some embarrassing errors in this chapter. Thanks to Ladyamesindy, Erynnar, and Violet Theirin for the support and also to the readers and reviewers whose interest keeps mine from flagging. _


	12. Preparing for the Search

There was still no sign of Alistair by the time Elandria was finished hacking up a practice dummy. She felt slightly better, but was still highly annoyed that Alistair had left her hanging with no word and hadn't bothered to join her in the salle. She decided to head back to their rooms and see about a nice soothing bath. Maybe that would help dull the edge she still felt. When she approached their rooms she saw that Alistair must be inside because all his guards were lined up outside the door. She felt a flare of anger as she realized he had ignored her message. She strode past the guards without a word as she entered the suite and her guards joined Alistair's standing around the suite.

Her anger kept her moving quickly as she passed through the entranceway and into the main room. She stopped short as she saw him sitting in a chair before the fire with a wine goblet dangling from the fingers of one hand and his head held in the other. He lifted his head and just said, "Lanie."

Alistair looked awful. She could see the doubt in his eyes and the lines in his face as she realized whatever had happened today had affected him deeply. Her anger began to drain away as her concern for him rose. "Alistair?" she said questioningly in a soft voice. "What's happened?"

Alistair rose from the chair as he set the goblet down on the table beside him. "Hugh, could you give us a few minutes, please?" It was a measure of her upset that Elandria hadn't even noticed Alistair's guard commander standing quietly at the side of the room.

"Yes, Sire," said Hugh, and he rapidly bowed and left the room.

Alistair walked over to her and pulled her against him.

She protested at first, "I'm all sweaty from the salle."

"I don't care," he responded and tightened his grip on her even more. She gave in and slid her arms around his waist. As he continued to stand and hold her, she ran one of her hand up under his tunic. She could feel the tension in every muscle in his back. She pushed away from him and took his hand.

"Come here," she said leading him to the bed. She pulled his tunic up in a broad hint, so he pulled it over his head and dropped it on the floor. "Lie down."

Alistair obediently stretched his long frame out on the bed. Elandria knelt beside him and started massaging his back and neck. He laid there quietly for a few minutes enjoying her ministrations. Elandria felt when most of the tension had been released from his muscles and only then did she break the silence between them. "Now, tell me what happened today."

He rolled up on his side as Elandria stretched out beside him and took one of his hands in hers.

"I don't know what's going on, Lanie. I feel like I'm losing control. It's like the whole country is going crazy and I don't why or what to do about it. You already know about Anora. Well, Briana has been taken as well. Her father rode to Denerim to ask me to help find her."

"I see," said Elandria levelly, although her stomach suddenly felt like it was in knots. "What are you going to do about it?" She _was not_ jealous. Even if almost everyone else in the country would prefer their king be married to Briana, she knew Alistair loved her. Whatever that funny feeling in her gut was, it was not jealousy.

He shook his head slightly, "I don't know. Eamon says I have to make the effort to find her, and I know he is right. I was thinking...maybe I would ask Zevran to go."

The knots in her stomach eased with that statement, "You aren't going yourself?" she asked.

"Maker, no!" he exclaimed. "I have to stay here and figure out just what is going on and be ready to deal with whatever happens next." He paused and looked at her. "Lanie, you know there is only one woman I'd follow the length and breadth of Ferelden. And I've done it more than once if I remember correctly," he teased.

She smiled at that comment and leaned over and lightly kissed him. "I love you, Alistair."

He brought his hand up to cup the side of her face. "I love you, always. I'm sorry about today. I really meant to be there. How did the meeting go?"

Elandria blew out her breath, "Not well. I lost my temper and lit into the Warden-Commander."

Alistair grinned at her. "I wish I had been there for that. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to do it myself. He is a pompous ass, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," she agreed. "I liked the other Warden there, Ashalle."

"Oh yes. He's the only reason things run as smoothly as they do at Amaranthine, well he and Howe."

Elandria looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Howe?" she asked questioningly.

"Nathaniel, Rendon Howe's other son. He was made a Warden a few years ago. I've met him once or twice. Seems to be made from a different cloth than his father, thank the Maker. He usually is in charge of the Vigil when Gerod comes here. I guess they don't want to push the issue between us as I was there when his father was killed," said Alistair with a shrug. "Ashalle's a good man though. He runs interference for Gerod. I'm working on trying to get the First Warden to recall Gerod and leave Ashalle as Warden-Commander, but these things take time."

"I see," she said. "Politics with the Wardens as well, Alistair? I'm impressed."

He nodded, "Almost makes me wish for the good ole days when we were the only Grey Wardens in Ferelden and all we had to worry about was a pesky archdemon and the Blight."

She smiled up at him. Some of the lines had left his face and his eyes looked less haunted. "Feel better now?" she asked.

"Hum, I do. Want to make me even feel better?"

For an answer, Elandria pressed herself against his body and kissed him. Alistair wrapped his arms around her and rolled her under him.

* * *

Sometime later, Alistair left their rooms to track down Zevran. He could have sent a servant and asked Zev to come to him, but since he was asking Zevran for a favor, Alistair felt it only right he go to Zevran himself. He had found out where Zev's room was located in the palace and was on his way there. He hoped to catch Zevran there, getting ready for dinner tonight as Zev had been invited to dine with them in the dining hall. Shortly after he left the family wing of the palace, he ran into Ashalle in a busy hallway.

"Good evening, your Majesty," said the man with a slight bow.

"Ashalle," Alistair groaned. "We're both Wardens. It's Alistair."

Ashalle took in the public venue they were in as servants passed them and the large number of guards surrounding the king. "Maybe in another place, another time."

Alistair shook his head. It amazed him that a Dalish elf would have such a command of propriety, especially since most of his time was spent in Amaranthine with the Wardens. "What can I do for you?" Alistair asked as he genuinely liked Ashalle and was glad to see the man.

"Funny you should say that, your Majesty. I was about to offer to do something for you."

"Oh," said Alistair. "Tell me more."

Ashalle fell into step with the king as he began to speak.

* * *

Kellin had refused to settle down and take his normal nap that afternoon. Zy had laid him down, but he just kept talking and wouldn't go to sleep. As a result, he was getting increasingly irritated and fussy through the early evening hours. Finally, Zy decided to tell him a story hoping it would quiet him down. Unfortunately for her, he wanted to hear "Jack and the Mabari" which was one Zy had never heard before. She tried to distract him with one of her stories, but Kellin wasn't having any of it. Finally, Torin, at the limit of his patience, pulled a book off one of the shelves in Kellin's room and held it out in Zy's direction. "Here," he said. "Read it to him from this."

Torin continued to hold the book out to her, but she didn't make a move to take it from him. He looked at her and saw the way she was avoiding looking at him or the book. After a moment, he said, "How about if I read it to you, Kellin?"

"Yes!" agreed Kellin, just wanting his story.

"Come here then," said Torin as he led the both of them into the sitting room. He sat down on the settle with Kellin beside him. Zy sat down on the other side of Kellin. Torin let Kellin hold the book on his lap as he put his arm around Kellin to hold on to the far side of the book. Torin pretended to ignore the fact that Zy's side was pressed tight against his arm. He began to read, "Once upon a time, there was a boy named Jack…." Before Torin was halfway through the story, Kellin had begun to lean heavily against him. Torin looked at Zy with an upraised eyebrow in question and she nodded to him so Torin realized the young prince was asleep. Torin gently eased the book out of Kellin's lap, but continued to sit with the boy dozing against him.

"You can't read, can you?" asked Torin quietly so as not to disturb Kellin.

Zy's eyes dropped to her hands in her lap, anything to avoid his gaze. "No," she admitted. "Not many in the alienage can. It's not a useful skill for someone who cleans chamberpots or washes dishes for their living."

Torin felt a flash of anger. "Another way to keep elves as second-rate citizens and easier to control."

"Maybe so," agreed Zy.

"I couldn't read either until Elandria taught me," Torin admitted. "So much of our tradition is oral. Storytellers are highly respected among the Dalish."

"Oh," Zy responded. "I didn't realize that."

"I could teach you," Torin offered. "If you wanted to learn, I mean," he added quickly.

"Really?" she said excited in spite of herself. She had never even thought to learn how to read. Only some of the elders in the alienage had that skill.

"Sure, it's not that difficult," replied Torin, trying to bolster her self-confidence a bit.

At that point, they were interrupted by a knock and Corporal Conall stuck his head in the door. "The chancellor is here."

Zynalla jumped off the settle and moved behind it while Torin stayed where he was with Kellin and nodded at Conall. "Send him in."

Eamon came strolling into the room followed by a middle-aged woman with dark hair rolled up in a bun. "Torin," said Eamon, ignoring Zynalla. "This is Mistress Davina. She's Kellin's new nanny."

"Why is that child asleep at this time of day?" asked the woman. "It's too late for a nap and too early for bedtime."

"Because he wouldn't take his nap today and he is _tired,"_ retorted Torin. He did stand up, pulling Kellin up with him. "Kellin, wake up."

"Umphhhh."

"Time to wake up," Torin said again as he tried to look at Kellin's face while Kellin was trying to bury it in his chest.

"Sleepy," Kellin mumbled.

"Come on, Kellin," said Torin one more time. Kellin turned his head and started rubbing his eyes with one hand.

Kellin turned his head a bit farther to the point where he could see Eamon and Mistress Davina. "NO, TORIN!" he screamed. "BAD, BLACK!" Tears started running down his face as he clutched at Torin's tunic refusing to let go, screaming the entire while.

* * *

Hugh insisted on having one of his men knock on Zev's door and search his room before allowing the king entrance. Alistair stood there feeling like a fool, but Zevran's only comment was, "Ah, very wise. I am glad to see your guard is taking such good care of you, my friend."

Once the room was declared safe, Hugh insisted Alistair still had to have someone with him.

"Fine," said Alistair, not very graciously. "You come in with me then."

Alistair and Hugh disappeared into Zev's room with the door shut behind them while the rest of his guard arrayed themselves outside.

Zevran cordially offered the bed to Alistair (since it was the only seat in the room) while he leaned against the window. Hugh stationed himself on the opposite wall of the room.

"I assume it is safe to say that you have come to talk about Briana?" asked Zevran.

"Maker's breath, does everyone in this bloody palace know what is going on?"

Zevran shrugged a shoulder. "Evidently, her father was not the most discreet of men. He arrived at the palace shouting about his daughter being kidnapped and demanding to see the king. Needless to say, that story didn't take long to make the rounds."

"Wonderful," replied Alistair sardonically. "Just what I need."

"So, why _are_ you here, my fine friend?" asked Zevran with a raised eyebrow.

"I know I've done nothing but ask your help since you arrived," said Alistair. "But, I'm here to do it again."

"Yes?"

"I want you to find and rescue Briana for me," said Alistair.

Zevran let out a breath as he turned to look out the window and consider Alistair's request. "I understand why you need to find and get Briana back, and I could see such a thing being feasible for me to accomplish if she had disappeared, say here in Denerim. I know how to find information in city streets. Out in the country is another story, my friend. I'm out of my element there."

"I know," said Alistair. "That's why I have found someone to go with you…a companion you might say."

"And who might this...companion be?"

"Her name is Rhedyn Altanori, and she is cousin to one of the Wardens who arrived today. She is supposed to be one of the best trackers the Dalish have."

"And she just happens to be here?"

"Yes," replied Alistair. "She accompanied her cousin to Denerim from Amaranthine. Evidently, she has been at the Vigil for a few months. It was thought that perhaps she might become a Warden. However, even with Ashalle being her cousin, there were some doubts about her suitability, and she hasn't been offered the Joining. Ashalle thinks some time away from him and in new surroundings might help her to even out her views."

"Even out her views? So this woman, she is difficult. That is what you are trying to tell me, yes?"

"I don't know," admitted Alistair. "I've never met her."

Zevran just grunted and remained standing staring out the window. Finally, he said, "I have no other pressing business at the moment. I'll do it. We will leave first thing in the morning. You will have to give me all the information you have."

"Of course. Thank you, Zevran," said Alistair with relief. "You don't know what this means to me."

"I know what it means to me. There had better be Antivan brandy and willing women upon my return."

* * *

_Grey Warden's compound, Denerim Palace_

"No, Ash. I won't do it!" Rhedyn stormed. "Why should we care if some shem king has lost his woman?"

"Peace, Rhe. Listen to me this time before you start shouting over me, and I will tell you why," said Ashalle. "This man is the king of Ferelden and has been very good to the Wardens, but it is no bad thing to have a king owe us a favor. The man you will be traveling with, while not Dalish, is elven. Let him deal with any humans you encounter. All I'm asking you is to use your skills to trail the women. Let this Zevran worry about the rescuing and such. Unless you don't think you aren't up to the challenge? It would be a tough trail to follow at this late date…."

"Oh, don't even try that with me! I outgrew the need to prove my skills long ago," declared Rhedyn hotly.

Ashalle smothered a smile. The girl acted like she was a woman of thirty instead of the mere twenty years she could honestly claim, and he knew she never turned down the opportunity to prove how good a hunter she was. "Then please, do it because I ask?"

Rhedyn blew out a breath. "You really want me to do this?"

"I really do. It would be a big help to me."

"Fine," she spat. "I don't know why I bother. You always get your way in the end." Ash had been the one person who had always stood by her no matter what. There wasn't much she wouldn't do for him.

"Thank you, Rhedyn," Ashalle said. "You won't regret this."

"I already do," she mumbled to herself.

* * *

Elandria had elected to let Alistair approach Zevran on his own and decided to go spend some time with Kellin. With everything going on the past few days, she had not been able to spend as much time with him as usual, and she was missing her little boy. As she pushed open the door between her and Alistair's suite and Kellin's, she heard Kellin screaming in terror. Her gut reaction had her in motion before she even thought about it. She burst through the door to Kellin's sitting room, her eyes seeking the danger and ready to defend Kellin with her life.

She was a little surprised to see Torin standing in the middle of the room with Kellin hanging on him like a monkey screaming at the top of his lungs. Zynalla stood behind the settle twisting her hands, obviously uncertain what to do, and Eamon and some strange woman were there as well. Elandria strode over to Torin and Kellin. She reached out for her son. "Kellin, enough. Enough! Stop this right now and tell mamae what is the matter." Torin helped to transfer Kellin to Elandria's arms.

Kellin stopped his screaming but clutched at Elandria still sniffling as the tears continued to roll down his face. "Mamae," he kept repeating over and over as he hiccuped.

Elandria tried to soothe him and then swung around to face Eamon. "What is going on here, Eamon?" she demanded. "Why is Kellin so upset?"

Eamon looked as confused as she felt. "I'm not really sure, Elandria. I just introduced him to his new nanny here, and he started screaming."

Elandria's eyes narrowed as she stared at Eamon. "New nanny? Just why wasn't I informed of this?" she asked as ice could have dripped from the tone in her voice.

"Alistair knew," was Eamon's answer.

The woman came forward, "My name is Mistress Davina.."

She was able to get no further before Kellin started screaming again. "NO! Mamae! BAD. She's BAD!"

"Zynalla," Elandria called.

"Yes, my Lady," said Zy as she hurried to Elandria's side, forgetting in her distress not to call Elandria that.

"Take Prince Kellin into his bedroom and occupy him please."

"Of course." Zy coaxed Kellin into her arms and headed into the bedroom, the tension in Kellin diminishing the farther away they moved from Mistress Davina.

Eamon started to speak, but Elandria held up her hand. "Hold on a minute, Eamon." She turned to Torin. "What set him off?"

Torin was feeling anxious himself. It was almost as if adrenaline was running through his body and his instinct to run was telling him to grab Kellin and go. He ran a shaking hand over his hair. "I'm not sure really. He took one look at her and started screaming."

"What are you feeling?" asked Elandria as she watched the way he jittered.

"Like I need to take Kellin and run," admitted Torin.

"Hum," Elandria said. She swung around to Eamon and Mistress Davina. "I'm sorry. This isn't going to work. Eamon, you are going to have to find someone else."

"What? You can't mean that," sputtered Eamon.

"I can and I do," replied Elandria firmly.

* * *

The next morning just before dawn, there were quite a few people stirring. Alistair and Elandria were both up and determined to see the hunting party off. Zevran had insisted he needed to go get some "special" supplies last night. Alistair wasn't sure what he was referring to, but he figured he was better off not asking. He trusted Zevran to know what he needed and to get the job done.

Zevran was already present in the stables when Alistair and Elandria arrived. He was dressed in his drakeskin armor that Elandria had gifted him during the Blight. He carried both his swords on his back. Zevran wasn't much of an archer-he left that to others-but he was a holy terror with his swords. Zev had declined the use of a riding beast, but was taking a packhorse along. Elandria raised an eyebrow at Zevran when she saw how loaded down the beast was.

"You never know what might come in handy, my Warden. I would hate to be far from civilization and need something," said Zevran at her look.

Elandria shook her head and chuckled at him. "Good luck and good hunting, Zev. I know if anyone can do the job, you can," she replied as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Take care of yourself."

There were voices behind them as Ashalle entered the stable accompanied by Rhedyn.

Zevran's first thought of Rhedyn was that of a force of nature moving across the land. With the whirl of her tattoos across her face combined with the look she gave him with her steely gray eyes, Zev's curiosity rose sharply as he wondered just what her story was. She had what looked to be thick blonde hair, but she had it braided so tightly against her head that Zevran wasn't sure how long it would be once freed. She carried a bow on her back and was dressed in exotic armor that immediately drew Zev's admiration as it bared her midriff, and his mind was captured by amorous thoughts. It was her eyes that spoke to him, however. The challenge and disdain he saw displayed there grabbed hold of him, almost as if she was impugning his maleness, and he saw her look grow weary as he allowed some of his "Crow" determination to bleed through his gaze back at her. He then pointedly turned his attention back to the saddlebag he was securing on the horse.

Alistair and Elandria walked over to greet Ashalle and meet Rhedyn, who was noticeably cooler to Alistair than she was to Elandria. Zevran finished adjusting his equipment on the horse and then walked over.

Elandria, picking up on Rhedyn's discomfort with Alistair, performed the introductions.

"Rhedyn Altanori, this is Zevran Arainai. Zevran, this is Rhedyn and her cousin, Ashalle Altanori."

Zev reached for her hand. Rhedyn was so shocked she let him take it. She wasn't used to a man touching her willingly. He kissed the top of her hand before turning it over and placing another one on her palm. Her fingers curled in response, and she pulled her hand sharply away. Zevran murmured to her, "Always a pleasure to meet such an intriguing woman, my beautiful storm goddess."

Rhedyn, not used to being flirted with, looked at him suspiciously, "Save the smooth talking and outrageous compliments for when you really need them."

"Ah, my dear, maybe I do really need them to hide the pounding of my heart at your presence," replied Zev smoothly.

Rhedyn gave him a hard glare and then turned and hugged her cousin goodbye. "Take care of yourself while I'm gone, Ash. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Creators protect you, Rhe. Good hunting," said Ashalle before leaving.

Alistair and Elandria stood together watching as the two elves and the horse made their way out of the palace grounds. "Did you tell him?" asked Elandria.

"No," replied Alistair.

"Don't you think you should have, so Zev knows what he is dealing with?"

"That was Ashalle's price for letting her go, and I needed her skills. He wanted her to be with someone who didn't know her history, someone who wouldn't judge her without even knowing her."

Elandria shook her head. "I just hope that wasn't a mistake. With just the two of them, he'll need to be able to depend on her out there."

* * *

_A.N.: I feel I must apologize on the length of time there has been since the last update. Real life has not been cooperating with me lately. I'll try to do better. I appreciate everyone who reads and reviews or just lurks for that matter, especially those of you sticking with the story even when it takes me forever to update. _

_Thanks to melismo for betaing this chapter for me and to Erynnar, ladyamesindy, and Violet Theirin for all the support. Melismo has revamped her latest story called __**A Tainted Hope Redux**__; __Erynnar's latest story is __**Whispering Sighs of the Blade**__ dealing with her Warden, Kaidana Cousland; ladyamesindy has a new story out with Fergus and Leliana called __**The Sands of Time**__; and Violet Theirin has a new Teagan/Cousland story out called __**The Tangled Web We Weave**__. Check them out! _


	13. Travels and Travails

_A.N.: Since it has been so long since I posted, I figure a little review is in order. Briana and Ser Alec Fraser (her guard captain) have been captured outside of Stormgard, Bann Alfstanna's estate. Alistair has asked Zevran to find her. The Wardens, on finding out Elandria was alive, have come to Denerim to question her about the events surrounding the Archdemon's death and the past four years. With the Wardens came a young Dalish elf, Rhedyn Altanori, a woman with a mysterious past but superb hunter skills. She has agreed to accompany Zevran on his search for Briana. Commander Gerod and Elandria did not hit it off well and Ashalle, a Dalish Warden, is to handle Elandria's questioning. Eamon had located a nanny for Kellin, whom he did not react to well, and Elandria told Eamon that the nanny would have to go. Torin has promised to teach Zynalla to read. _

* * *

Briana and Ser Fraser had been riding for a few days since their capture. She learned the leader's name was Fox, or at least that was what his men called him. Ser Fraser was being held bound and under strict guard, a hostage for Briana's behavior. She spent her days riding as close to him as she was allowed, and it was at one of these junctures that he managed to whisper to her without the guards hearing, "I do not believe they know who you are. Do _not _tell them, my Lady." Briana had figured out the same thing herself simply by the manner of how she was treated.

At first, she was afraid that with the rough men of Fox's troupe and she being the only woman that she might be accosted. Fox ruled his men with an iron fist, however, and he made her off-limits. Briana wasn't taking any chances though and bedded down for sleep as near to Alec as she could. His presence alone gave her strength even if he was kept tied at nights. Briana had to admit that Fox wasn't totally inhumane; he allowed Ser Fraser small amounts of time twice a day in camp to be unbound (with extra guards) and to move around, usually in the morning and evening.

They and their captors had ridden around the outskirts of many smallish villages, but now they seemed to be making directly for what Briana was pretty certain was the town of Homestead. It lay just south of the deepest inlet of the Waking Sea and The North Road went through it. Briana had been through there herself just recently when returning from Denerim. As they rode closer and closer to the town, Briana began to feel a flare of hope. Perhaps they would enter the town itself and she could find some way to get help. Her hope was soon proven to be in vain as the group split up. Fox sent three of his men and two of the extra horses into town. From what Briana overheard, they were being told to fetch supplies. Fox and the other five men surrounded Briana and Ser Fraser and shepherded them towards a farm on the outskirts of town. Fox broke away from the group and Briana saw him approach the farmhouse. He entered and then exited the house a short time later. He returned to where the rest of them waited and then the group moved to follow him. Briana turned around to look at the farm house and noticed two young boys watching them. For no particular reason that she could think of, she waved to the two boys. Neither waved back, but she knew they had seen her.

Fox led them to a barn. He indicated everyone was to enter. Briana dismounted and rushed over to help Alec off his horse. She led him to a small mound of hay in the barn and had him sit down. She lobbied Fox for Ser Fraser to be untied. He reluctantly gave permission as long as they both sat in the hay. Briana agreed and so it was done. One of the men handed them cold rations, dried meat with a slab of cheese and a small canteen of water. Briana and Alec weren't able to converse freely because the guard Fox had set on them was standing too close. After they ate, Briana took advantage of the break to take a short nap. She leaned against Alec's shoulder and slept while he watched over her. After a couple of hours, the others returned from town with the supplies. They were roused and back on the horses moving once again.

Briana asked Fox more than once what he wanted with them, but he refused to say. She wasn't sure he even knew why they had been taken. It was obvious to Briana that Fox was just performing a duty he had been paid to do as he didn't seem aware of who she was. A few days after the stop for supplies, they were riding through some beautiful landscape. The land was gently rolling with open meadows and gurgling streams, and there were large stands of trees. They broke through one of these stands into a cleared hilltop where a building sat by itself. Fox headed the group right toward it.

When they arrived at their destination, Ser Fraser was taken off his horse. Briana was allowed to dismount and move under her own power. As they rode up, a man came out of the small estate house. Fox gave orders for Briana and Alec to be watched and then he pulled the man aside. Briana couldn't hear what the man told Fox, but whatever it was, it didn't make him happy. Fox turned and looked at her before walking over to her and Ser Fraser. "Lady, is it true you are a healer?"

Briana answered him with a short, "Yes."

"I have a patient for you," he replied. "Come with me." He started walking towards the house.

Briana didn't move. "Fox," she said. He turned to look at her. "I'll take a look at your patient, but I want Ser Fraser along as well, and I would like him unbound." Briana turned back to her horse and untied her traveling satchel that she carried with her whenever she had to go out and see a patient. It contained her medicinal supplies.

Fox just looked at her a moment and then he jerked his head at three of his men. "Follow me," he said. Briana and Ser Fraser followed Fox while the other three men fell in around them and they entered the house. Briana looked around trying to get a feel for where she was. This place reminded her of a hunting lodge Bann Alfstanna kept. There were trophy heads of different animals and various bows and spears displayed on the walls of the large main room they entered into which had two large fireplaces, one at each end. Fox kept moving and started ascending a flight of stairs at the back of the room. The rest of their little party followed like ducklings behind momma. They took the steps to the next floor where Fox led them to a room that another of his men stood in front of it. The man turned and unlocked the door at a nod from Fox and then stepped aside.

Fox turned to her and said, "In here," before opening the door.

Fox entered the room and Briana obediently followed him. Briana stopped when she came through the door and then rushed to the bedside. There was a young man in the bed. He had dark brown hair, but Briana couldn't see his eyes because they were closed. The man was shaking but drenched in sweat. She put the back of her hand to his forehead and he was burning up with fever.

"How long has he been like this?" she barked.

Fox motioned for the man who was standing guard outside to enter the room. "Answer her questions," Fox ordered him.

The guard told Briana that the sick man had been like this for the past few days going in cycles between fever and chills with some cough interspersed. Briana asked for some clean water and honey and then began rummaging in her bag.

Fox motioned Ser Fraser over and freed him from his bounds. He pointed to a chair and told him to sit there. By this time, Briana's water and honey had arrived and she found the dried willow and cinchona bark she had been searching for. She quickly mixed up a tonic for the sick man. "Alec," Briana said. "I'm going to need your help."

"What would you have me do, my Lady?" asked Ser Fraser.

"Sit him up and hold him so I can get some of this into him," Briana replied. She looked over at Fox. "What's his name?" she asked.

"Camden," came the reply. "What's wrong with him?"

"It could be a number of things, but what I'm giving him will do him no harm and hopefully much good," said Briana. She moved to the side of the bed with Alec beside her. "Camden, can you hear me?" Briana asked as she used a damp rag to wipe some of the sweat off his face.

At the touch of the coolness against his face, Camden's eyes opened. Through the blurriness and dizziness caused by the fever, he thought he saw a dark-haired woman. He tried to focus on her face, but her image kept blurring. All he could see was blue-black hair that reflected the light that hurt his eyes so he closed them once more.

"Camden?" came the melodic soft voice once again. Camden wasn't sure where he was anymore. He had been traveling when he was captured, and that was the last thing he remembered. The beautiful voice started speaking again pulling his consciousness back to the world, "You need to drink this. Please try. Can you hear me?" He felt his body being pulled into a sitting position and supported by a pair of strong hands followed by the feeling of a cup being placed to his lips. "Try and swallow." Camden felt cool liquid run into his mouth. Without consciously thinking about it, he began to greedily swallow. It seemed like forever since he had last had anything to drink. "Easy now," came the voice again. "Not too much at once."

"Hold him," Camden heard the voice say as it turned away. A few moments later, he felt another cup held to his lips. "Drink this, it's just water." Camden drank and felt the scratchiness and dryness in his mouth and throat decrease. The cup was soon moved away.

"Lie him back down, Alec," the female voice came again and he felt himself moved so the bed was once again supporting his body and the hands released their grip on him. Camden was happy to lie there with his eyes closed.

Camden was aware of the woman turning away from him to make some demands of another person. "I want plenty of cool water to bathe him. I want a change of clothes and new sheets for this bed."

Camden heard the drone of a male voice in reply, but the words were lost as he dropped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Zevran and Rhedyn spent the first hour out of Denerim in silence. Rhedyn because that was the way in which she normally traveled; Zevran because he was observing the other elf and trying to get a sense of what made her tick. He tried to watch her unobtrusively, but Zevran figured she was aware of his looks. The two walked side by side as they were just following the road heading for Stormgard, Bann Alfstanna's manor house. They were planning to locate the original tracker who had followed Briana and then have him take them to where he had lost the trail. From there it would all depend on Rhedyn to find a track many days old. Finally, Zev decided to break the silence.

"So, tell me, my dear, what brings you out here on this search," Zev asked in a neutral voice.

Rhedyn looked suspiciously over at Zevran, but she assumed this question was innocuous enough. "I came because my cousin asked me to," she replied coolly, hoping he would take a hint and end his questions there.

Zevran being Zevran, of course, that wasn't about to happen. "So, _mi bella diosa de la tormenta_, you leave your cousin behind. Is there anyone else you've left pining for you while accompanying me?"

Rhedyn gave Zevran a blank stare of incomprehension.

Zevran let out a small sigh, but took pity on her. "I meant are there any men… or women who are missing you and await your return?"

Rhedyn still looked puzzled for a moment or so, but then she flushed red as she figured out what Zevran was asking. "No," she snapped before lengthening her stride and marching off ahead of him. Zevran let a small smile play around his mouth as he watched her walk in front of him. "Now that is a fine view, is it not, my _caballo _friend?" Zev said appreciatively to the pack animal he was leading. The horse didn't answer.

Rhedyn walked, well stalked really, in front of Zevran for about the next hour. Eventually, she slowed her pace and allowed him and the horse to catch back up. Zevran wisely kept his mouth shut, but continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye. They traveled in silence until they stopped for a lunch break. Zevran broke out some sandwiches he had retrieved from the palace kitchens before they left. They did speak a little during lunch, and Rhedyn informed him she would hunt that afternoon in the woods beside the road to supplement their supper. Zevran told her it wasn't necessary; they had plenty of supplies. Rhedyn just shrugged her shoulders and said she would do it on the move and catch up with Zevran that evening. Zevran thought she just wanted a break from his company. Shortly after that, they were back on the road heading west. Zevran watched Rhedyn move off for her hunting with her bow in hand. _Ah, you are a puzzle, my skittish beauty, but with a little time and effort, I've always excelled at figuring out just what pieces go where. _

* * *

As Alistair had a full day of meetings and audiences, Elandria spent the morning with Kellin, Torin, and Zynalla since her meeting with Ashalle was not until later. Alistair was able to join them for a quick lunch, and Elandria's heart sang at watching Alistair and Kellin together. She could see and hear the pride and joy Alistair took in his small son's presence. Elandria loved Kellin fiercely and had from the moment of his birth, but she knew Alistair still had a hard time believing his long-cherished dream of a family and a child had come true. Elandria knew that Alistair would do anything to keep Kellin safe.

Later that afternoon, Elandria made arrangements with Ciannata to bring everything to the meeting room in order for her and Ashalle to have Da'Vhenan tea. Elandria was sure Ashalle wouldn't have had a chance to perform the Dalish ceremony often since joining the Order.

Once again she arrived early, but today she was much less nervous than she had been the day before. She was looking forward to spending more time with Ashalle. After the past days in Denerim, it was soothing for her to be around a man of the Dalish. She hadn't realized until she left the elven community just how much a part of her that lifestyle had become and how easily she had fit into it. When Elandria first joined with Lanaya's clan she had never meant to stay as long as she did, but for the first time that she could remember, she felt like she was part of a real family. In the mage tower, she had only had Jowan and even he had left her in the end. The small group of friends that had fought the Blight together had a completely different dynamic, which all came apart in the pain that had overtaken her with the loss of Alistair. Elandria was the glue that held them all together, and with her heart broken and she unable to bind anyone, much less herself, the ties that had held them all to each other came undone. It didn't surprise her that Wynne and Zevran were the ones who remained closest to her and Alistair now as so many of their adventures during that time had only comprised the four of them; Wynne, Zevran, her, and Alistair. They had bled for each other countless times; they had saved each other numerous times. Their shared experiences during the Blight would never be forgotten.

Ashalle arrived soon after Elandria, but before Ciannata. They were talking about their clans and searching for mutual acquaintances among those elves that remained wild and free in the forest while their destines tied them to the Wardens and the taint. Ciannata knocked on the door and at Elandria's soft call entered carrying a tray with the necessary ingredients for the ceremony. Ciannata set it on the table with a nod to Elandria before just as quickly leaving the room once more. Ashalle turned and looked at Elandria almost with wonder in his eyes.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

"Yes," Elandria said. "Lanaya was kind enough to gift Torin and me with a supply before we left. I find after my years with the clan that the ritual responses and the tea itself are a great stress reliever and help to clear my mind. I take it you haven't had Da'Vhenan tea in a long time."

"Creators, no!" replied Ashalle. "Not for years, the last time I was home actually."

Elandria looked at him with a small smile, "Shall I begin?"

"Please," he replied.

Elandria reached out to pick up the first ingredient and said the formal words that began the ceremony. Ashalle joined in as they solemnly mixed the ingredients and performed the ritual gestures that accompanied the tea making. Elandria sighed deeply when they finished and set the tea into the container suspended above the flames. A comfortable, relaxed atmosphere now permeated the room, aided in no small part by the scent of the brewing tea. She glanced over at Ashalle seated beside her and saw he felt the same release of tension that she experienced. She smiled at him and was just about to make a comment when the door slammed open.

Commander Gerod marched his way into the room. Both Elandria and Ashalle looked at him in surprise. Ashalle thought he was handling Elandria's questioning. What was Gerod doing here? "Commander," acknowledged Ashalle coolly. "I did not expect your company today. Is something amiss?"

Elandria nodded at the man, but gave him no other greeting.

Gerod self-importantly pulled out a chair and sat himself down, crossing his legs and casually tossing his gauntlets on the table. "No, everything is fine. I just realized I had some more specific questions this morning and I didn't have the opportunity to catch you, Ashalle," replied the man.

Elandria really disliked this man intensely, but she forced herself to a neutral tone of voice as she asked, "What exactly is it that you wish to know?"

"My questions concern the boy."

At this Elandria drew herself up stiffly, warning bells sounding in her head. "Ask," she replied simply.

"Has he exhibited any unusual behavior? Any special .. skills?" asked the commander.

"He's only a little boy," replied Elandria. "What do you expect him to do?"

Gerod drummed the fingertips of one hand on the table as he answered her, "No one has ever survived the Archdemon before. I'm wondering if there were any side effects so to say."

"No," said Elandria firmly, putting all thoughts of Kellin's behavior over the nanny out of her mind. "He's a normal, healthy, happy 3-year-old."

Gerod looked shrewdly into her eyes. "And how would you know normal? The mage tower in Ferelden must be different than the ones in Orlais. I didn't realize they had little children there."

Elandria jumped up out of her chair on the pretext of removing the tea from the heat as it had begun to boil. She could feel her control slipping as her anger began to climb, "My son is not open for discussion. I will answer any questions you have about the Archdemon and what happened that night, but leave him OUT of it."

A small smile played around the corners of Gerod's mouth that Elandria did not see as her back was to him as she took care of the tea. Gerod was satisfied that he had managed to needle her. "I want to see the boy," he announced.

Elandria spun to face him as tiny sparks of lightening began to play between her fingers. "Absolutely not!" she declared.

Ashalle, having spent the last few years around Anders, knew what the sparks meant and immediately moved to diffuse the situation. He wasn't quick enough, however, as Gerod spoke before he could interfere.

"I could order you to bring him before me, you know," Gerod said in a softly menacing voice, almost empty of inflection.

Ashalle was surprised when Elandria answered him coolly. "You could try, you mean," she said as she just looked at the commander, and to Ashalle's surprise the lightening died away.

Ashalle remained quiet as he watched the battle of wills play out in front of him. Gerod continued to sit in the chair, the picture of a man at his ease, but his fingers continued their tap, tap, tapping on the tabletop. Elandria remained standing not moving a muscle, her gaze locked on Gerod. The tension drew out as the two just continued to stare at one another.

Finally, Gerod pushed himself out of the chair and to his feet. "Fine, have it your way _for now_," he said harshly picking up his gauntlets in one hand. "But someday, these questions will be answered," he stated before spinning on his heel and leaving the room.

Once he was gone, Elandria let out a shaky breath. She turned a questioning look on Ashalle. "What is his problem?" she asked him.

"You scare him. He worries what you will do," Ashalle answered her honestly.

"Me? Why?" Elandria asked.

Ashalle slipped back into the chair he had been seated in before the commander had entered the room. "I don't think you appreciate the reputation you have with all the Ferelden Wardens. You are a hero to them, Elandria. Gerod is afraid if you come to Amaranthine you will displace him. He is not a popular figure there, and he has burned his bridges in too many other Warden posts. This is his last chance for command."

Elandria looked at Ashalle in confusion. "Why would I go to Amaranthine? My life is here, with Alistair and Kellin."

"I think that is what this little visit was all about. He was testing your devotion to your son."

Elandria just shook her head. "Politics again. I can't get away from them. He could have just asked me."

Ashalle shook his head with a rueful smile, "That is not his way."

Elandria moved to the glazed container that held the tea. "Shall we try this again?" she asked

Ashalle's smile was all the answer she needed.

* * *

Since it was early winter, the days were short. Zevran stopped shortly before sundown to start getting a camp set up. He had just hobbled the horse, unloaded it for the evening, and was thinking about starting the search for firewood when Rhedyn came striding up to him. She carried a small branch over her shoulder with a few squirrels cleaned and skinned hanging off of it.

"I see you had some luck, mi amiga," Zevran commented. "Would you prefer to gather wood or put the tent up?" Since there was only the two of them, they only needed one tent. One would sleep while the other kept watch. Zevran did have another tent in the gear that they would break out for Briana on the return trip, but since speed was of the essence, they would only set up one until then.

Rhedyn gracefully squatted in the area where the fire would go and propped the stick up so the meat stayed out of the dirt. "The wood," she said before turning and leaving their small camp.

Zevran looked at the horse as he began to pick out the pieces of the tent from the gear he had unloaded. "She doesn't waste words, does she? See what it forces me to do, talk to you for company," Zev said with a rueful shake of his head as he moved to set up the tent.

Later, as they sat quietly eating their supper, which had been added to with the supplies the pack horse carried, Rhedyn broke the silence between them, catching Zevran by surprise. "Why are you here?" she asked without looking at him and for once in a tone of voice that didn't drip contempt.

Zevran took this as a form of peace offering and so answered her readily enough, "I'm here because my friend asked me to come and find someone he still cares about."

Rhedyn grunted in reply, her eyes still held by the flickering flames. "So it is for the shem king, then?"

"I am doing this for Alistair, a man who has earned my trust many times over, and not for the king," Zevran replied but without any heat in his voice. Zev didn't want to push her away now that she seemed to be making a small gesture in his direction.

Rhedyn dropped her eyes to her hands in her lap. "I find the idea of trust between elf and she-human to be a disquieting idea," she admitted. "However, this king of yours seems to surround himself with our people, even going so far as to marry an elf, so perhaps it is not a bad thing, just strange and different, for one such as me."

Zevran had all kinds of questions he wanted to ask her, but he thought caution was the way to go with Rhedyn. He would have to earn her trust just like he would one of the wild animals of the forest she had called home most of her life.

"Well, it wasn't always such," Zevran admitted. He grinned at her. "Would you like to hear an amusing tale about two Grey Wardens and the Antivan assassin hired to kill them?" he asked.

Rhedyn raised an eyebrow at him, so Zevran launched into the story of how he came to meet Elandria and Alistair and how Arl Howe had hired him to kill the Wardens for the regent. She even smiled a little at the part where Alistair protested Elandria's decision to keep him alive. When he finished, he offered to take the dirty dishes to the stream nearby and clean them up. By the time he returned, Rhedyn had settled down for the night in the tent as Zevran was taking first watch. Zevran paced the perimeter of the quiet camp. When he passed near the tent he could actually hear the soft sounds of Rhedyn's breathing. When Zevran finally sat down to stare into the dark, his thoughts were filled by the young elven woman who accompanied him and the mystery that surrounded her.

Zevran woke the next morning shortly before dawn, and he could still smell her scent on the bedroll they had both used. It was the scent of woman mixed with a woody clean smell. He took one last sniff of the blanket holding the aroma in his lungs as if to lock it in his memory. He then climbed out of the bedroll to begin another long day of travel.

The next day or two passed in much the same manner as the first except that gradually Rhedyn was becoming more comfortable around Zevran. Even though Zevran's conversation was normally full of innuendo and he was always willing to flirt, he was also a patient man and able to abandon his normal mannerisms when necessary. He quickly figured out that his normal ebullience would push her away. Zevran found Rhedyn such a dichotomy. There was a part of her that was so strong and capable. After watching her with her bow, there wasn't a doubt in his head she could take care of herself. However, there also seemed to be a youthful innocence about her. That was the part that reminded him of an injured fawn and made him want to scoop her up and protect her from harm. When these fanciful thoughts went through his head, Zevran called himself a fool and forced back to the forefront of his mind the reason they were here. _The job, Zevran, keep your mind on the job…not the woman! _

The last night before they expected to reach Stormgard, they were camped once more by the roadside. Rhedyn had again contributed to their supper. Zevran was done eating before Rhedyn, and as she was sitting across the fire from him he watched as she was finishing her meal. His eyes were drawn by the graceful markings on her face. He had seen many different patterns over the years when he had encountered the Dalish, but he had never seen the curling and twisting shapes like Rhedyn bore. She looked up quickly when Zevran was not expecting it and caught his eye.

"What?" she asked defensively.

Over the past few days, the relationship between the two elves had reached an even keel. Zevran wouldn't exactly say they were friends, but she seemed to have lost the animosity she had displayed for him at the beginning of their journey.

"I was just admiring your vallaslin," Zevran said.

Rhedyn's whole body stiffened and she pulled herself up straight. "Admiring?" she said disbelievingly.

"I have never seen ones such as yours," Zevran replied.

Rhedyn sat the bowl she was eating from down on the ground by the fire. "Nor will you," she spit out before leaping off the butt end of the log she had been sitting on and striding off into the dark.

Zevran didn't make a conscious decision, but he immediately started moving behind her. Zevran might not be the most expert at woodcraft, but one thing he did know how to do was to move quietly no matter where he was. He called on his stealth abilities and faded from view as he followed Rhedyn into the trees by their campsite. Rhedyn didn't go far, but Zevran was easily able to trail her in the light of the full moon. Zevran could see the tension in her body that caused her to move stiffly, not in the fluid manner in which she normally carried herself.

Rhedyn stopped at a small pond not far from the camp. It was more a large hole filled with dark, still water than an actual pond. Zevran had caught snatches of words that she muttered to herself after leaving the campsite, but he hadn't been able to make out anything coherent. She squatted down now, and Zevran could see her staring intently at herself in the dank pool. He moved closer, closer than he probably should have. He wasn't certain how far to push his luck. Rhedyn was too good in a natural setting for him to remain hidden from her awareness for long even as distracted as she was.

Rhedyn stared down at the dank water. It didn't make a very good reflecting surface, but that didn't matter. She had stared at her image in still water so many times since her vallaslin ceremony that she didn't need the reflection. The marking on her face was branded in her mind and reverberated through her veins with every beat of her heart.

Zevran watched as Rhedyn squatted by the pool of water. She seemed almost mesmerized and was still for long minutes. Suddenly her arm went flying as she plunged her hand into the pool, sending ripples racing across the surface. He could hear her self-contempt in the one word she spoke, "Murderer."

Zevran stayed perfectly still as Rhedyn rose and continued on, disappearing through the trees into the forest that surrounded the road they were following. Zevran waited for a few moments before starting to move back to camp to reduce the chance of her hearing him as he thought about what he had just witnessed. Zevran recognized the self-loathing and mental anguish displayed by Rhedyn tonight. They were familiar feelings to Zevran, since they were similar to what drove him before Elandria's acceptance and friendship had helped heal him. Another piece of the puzzle that was Rhedyn had fallen into place for him.

Rhedyn travelled, moving quickly and lightly through the quiet trees, but she couldn't outrun the tumult of feelings roiling inside her. No matter how fast she pushed her body or how far she went, she carried them, as much a part of her as her hand or her voice. She made a large circle in the forest and eventually felt calm enough to return to camp and to Zevran. The assassin caused conflicting emotions inside her. At times during the day when they were moving in tandem, both working toward the same goal, her self-loathing was held at bay by the quiet acceptance the other elf seemed to give her. That was a new experience for her, and she had to constantly remind herself that it wasn't real, that as soon as he _knew_ his features too would wear the repugnance and disdain that her kin had felt toward her for the past five years. Only Ashalle knew what she was and loved her regardless.

When Rhedyn arrived back at camp, she felt a flush of embarrassment as she realized Zevran had performed all the camp chores for the night and was sitting quietly by the fire waiting for her. Rhedyn bowed her head and hurried by him, heading for the tent as Zevran always took first watch.

Zevran had been conscious of Rhedyn when she entered the perimeter of the camp. When she hunched up and prepared to rush into the tent, he spoke very quietly to her, deliberately not looking at her, trying not to spook her, "Rhedyn, I'm sorry."

At his soft words, she froze, barely breathing.

"I did not mean to touch on any painful areas of your past. I know what it is to carry a burden that seems too large to set down."

Rhedyn felt another flush of embarrassment that her anguish was visible to others. Not knowing what else to say, she settled for simply, "Good night, Zevran." She then lost no time in escaping into the privacy of the tent.

Zevran softly chuffed out his breath. That certainly had not gone the way he had hoped. Zevran quietly rose and began his first circuit of the camp for the night. He pretended not to hear the muffled sounds of crying that came from within the tent. Zevran felt guilty about stirring up the feelings that Rhedyn was experiencing. What he really wanted to do was to comfort her, but he knew she wouldn't accept it from him. Zevran didn't know what secret Rhedyn was carrying, but he did know that whatever it was, the weight of it was close to breaking her.

* * *

A figure sat in a darkened room illuminated only by the light coming from the flames burning in the fireplace. He reached out and refilled his goblet with the wine that his steward had purchased on a recent trade mission to the Free Marches. He rolled it around in his mouth savoring the flavor. _Not bad_. _Still not what I deserve, though. _The man sat back as he considered the current situation and how his plan was progressing. It hadn't all gone smoothly of course; these things never did. One had to be prepared for that and ready to make quick adjustments, but overall he was pleased with all the elements he had in play.

His eyes roamed the smallish room. It was comfortable and well appointed, but certainly not grand. _Someday, when all the elements of my plan come together, everything that should have been freely given to me, and more, will be mine! _

* * *

_A.N.: So here it is finally, I hope no one had heart failure from shock when they saw that the story had been updated. This was the chapter that REFUSED to be written; I have been working on this monster for weeks. Part of the reason I haven't updated in a while has been because __**HEART'S RECOVERY**__, my Ser Perth/Alistair/Tabris story, sidetracked me, but I intend to turn my attention back to Lanie and crew and get this story finished. Those of you who can write more than one story at a time and keep updates within reasonable timeframes really have my admiration. I've learned not to promise, but I sincerely hope the next update doesn't take as long as this one did. I have family coming in over the weekend so that means I probably won't even get to start the next chapter until after that. _

_That being said, special thanks go to Mapachita for the Spanish 'mi bella diosa de la tormenta,' which means 'my beautiful storm goddess.' She saved me from depending on the online translator which was so wrong before. Thanks, my friend! _

_Thanks also to my two wonderful betas, melisomo and ladyamesindy, especially ladyamesindy for the "de-had-ification!"_

_Finally to everyone who continues to follow the story, alert, favorite, and review, even with my uneven updates, thank you so much. I appreciate each one of you! _


	14. Seeing Behind the Mask

_AN: For my daughter, whose pleading for another chapter finally forced me to get back to this, and for Liso66, who bravely faced the giant dust bunnies to find Lanie for me. _

_

* * *

_When Elandria left the meeting with Ashalle, she was feeling satisfied with how things had gone. She had answered all his questions, and she was expecting the Wardens to return to Amaranthine in the next day or so when they had completed the rest of their business in Denerim. Elandria realized this wouldn't be the end of the matter and that more questions were sure to come from Weisshaupt. She just hoped she could figure out what was going on with Kellin before then. Elandria was really hoping that this ability he seemed to be displaying was a result of the Lenayath between Torin and Kellin and not something that had to do with the Archdemon.

As she continued to think and worry about Kellin, the city bells rang six. The normal routine in the palace had been turned upside down lately with the wedding and the assassination attempts on Alistair and Kellin, but Elandria hoped things would soon settle down. Alistair had told her that he and Eamon normally spent some time at the end of each day going over things that had happened that day and preparing for the next. Elandria decided to make for Alistair's study to see if she could catch the two men together. She had purposefully not mentioned anything about the nanny situation to Alistair. She wanted to wait until Eamon was present as well.

Elandria turned in the direction of Alistair's study with her two guards trailing her. Today was the first day that Niall Black had been back on duty since the wedding reception. Elandria had glared at the man this morning and simply told him "not to try anything," but she knew her battle wasn't with him. It would be with the Revered Mother, although Elandria wasn't feeling as if she was in a particularly strong position in that regard with the desire demon still lurking in the Fade waiting to be dealt with. One problem at a time, however, she thought to herself. Now was the time to take care of Eamon and the nanny situation.

Elandria arrived at the study door to find three guards stationed outside. Before they could even speak, she held up a hand and said, "Don't even bother trying to stop me." She walked past them and knocked on the door as the three guards exchanged glances.

"Yes?" came Alistair's voice.

Elandria pushed the door open and entered, telling her guards they could remain outside before shutting it once again behind her.

"Lanie," said Alistair in a fond tone of voice. He rose from his chair and came around from behind his desk to lean down and kiss her softly on the lips. Elandria smiled up at him as he lifted his head. "Here, have a seat. Eamon and I were just about finished."

"Thank you, Alistair," Elandria said as she took the other chair before Alistair's desk. Elandria smiled at Hugh, who was standing quietly along the wall. "Hello, Hugh," she said, acknowledging Alistair's guard commander.

Hugh nodded to her but didn't speak. He much preferred being just a part of the surroundings and not drawing attention to himself when he was on duty.

"Hello, Elandria," Eamon said as he started to get up.

"Please stay, Eamon. What I want to discuss with Alistair concerns you as well," Elandria said. Eamon halted midrise and resumed his seat in the chair.

Alistair returned to his place behind the desk and asked, "What's on your mind, my dear?"

"Did Eamon tell you what happened yesterday with the nanny?" Elandria asked.

"He just mentioned you rejected the one he had selected," replied Alistair.

"But not until after he had brought the nanny in to meet Kellin. I'm not so sure Kellin needs a nanny. Zynalla, Torin, and the other servants all have him well in hand. Plus I try to spend as much time with him as I can," said Elandria.

"He most certainly does need one," retorted Eamon before Alistair could say anything. Eamon leaned toward Alistair as he said earnestly, "I'm hearing grumbles about so many elves surrounding the prince, and they are getting worse. Kellin spent his first few years raised among the Dalish; his mother is an elf; his guard commander is one; and now his primary caregiver is one as well. I don't understand why you didn't put Ser Bryce in charge of Kellin's guard detachment instead of that young elf. Granted he performed well with the attacks the other day, but let's hope that wasn't a fluke."

Alistair looked at Elandria with a question in his eye and a raised eyebrow. Elandria thought a moment and reluctantly nodded to Alistair.

"Eamon," Alistair began. "There is something you don't know about the relationship between Torin and Kellin. Torin is more than Kellin's guard commander."

"What do you mean?" Eamon asked.

Elandria picked up the explanation. "There was an elven ceremony performed before Alistair ever knew about Kellin's existence. It's an old and rare ritual that magically bonds the two of them together. Torin is Kellin's leigeman for life. They are linked by the magic that was performed that day. As a result, Torin often knows when Kellin is in danger before the danger is even apparent. It's happened a few times already, such as the assassin's attack the other night and Torin putting Kellin into his bed instead of Kellin's own." Elandria turned to Alistair. "But that isn't what is concerning me right now. It's Kellin himself."

"What about Kellin?" Alistair asked.

"Kellin's reaction to the nanny was extreme. He was screaming that she was 'bad' and 'black,' but how did he know that and what did he mean by 'black?' Torin's indications of danger seem to be generated as feelings so I'm wondering if this is somehow related to that. Perhaps it is all a side effect from the bonding of the Lenayath or …." Elandria trailed off.

"You are worried it might be something else," Alistair said shrewdly.

Elandria returned her gaze to Alistair's. Her worry for Kellin overrode her normal caution in front of Eamon as she replied, "What if it has something to do with his slaying of the Archdemon when I was carrying him?"

"Oh wow," said Alistair softly, sitting back in his chair thunderstruck. "I never even considered that. What are you suggesting, Lanie?"

Elandria pushed herself out of chair in her agitation, forgetting there were others in the room beside her and Alistair. "I don't know and that's what is worrying me. We've talked about how my magic has changed as a result of the Old God's soul moving through me. Kellin had even more contact with it than I did in destroying it. What if it changed something inside him as well, and how would we ever know?"

"Wait a minute," Eamon said, his confusion evident on his face. "What are you two talking about?"

Alistair and Elandria exchanged guilty glances. "Might as well tell him the rest," Elandria said ruefully. Elandria had been slow to warm to Eamon after learning how he had treated Alistair as a child. She had watched the relationship between the two men in the days she had been back in Alistair's life; however, and she realized that Eamon had grown beyond the mistakes of the past. If Alistair trusted him, then she would too.

"Eamon, what I'm about to tell you can never leave this room. These aren't just secrets between Lanie and me, but they are secrets of the Grey Wardens," Alistair stated solemnly. "Hugh, that goes for you too," Alistair added as an afterthought, although Hugh had proved himself countless times over the years and he wasn't worried about Hugh's discretion.

"I understand," Eamon said. "I won't tell a soul, not even Isolde."

"The only way to truly slay an Archdemon is for a Grey Warden to kill it. If not, the Old God's soul seeks out the nearest darkspawn and the process begins all over. If a Grey Warden slays the Archdemon, however, the Old God is drawn to the Grey Warden, but both the Warden and the Archdemon are killed."

Eamon looked even more confused than before. "Then how is Elandria alive?"

"Very good question. The answer is the Old God's soul wasn't drawn to Lanie; it was drawn through her to Kellin because he carried the taint that he inherited from both of us. HE is the one who actually destroyed the Archdemon. That's why the Wardens were so interested when they heard that Lanie was alive. No Warden had _ever _survived the destruction of an Archdemon before. Somehow in defeating the Old God, the taint was cleared from Kellin and allowed him to survive. Otherwise, he probably would not have lived… much like Moira." Alistair finished softly, looking down at his hands on the desk. Alistair had learned to live with the constant ache from the death of his daughter, but at times the pain of her loss still overwhelmed him.

_"Moira's cause of death was never explained beyond illness. You are saying now it was somehow related to the Wardens?"_ asked Eamon.

Elandria quickly spoke so Alistair wouldn't have to answer that painful question. "Yes, Eamon. It is extremely unlikely that Alistair or I could ever have another child that would live much past its birth. The taint that flows within us is too strong now and a child would inherit our taint and could not survive it, which is what happened with Moira. But let's get back to Kellin."

Alistair looked up at Elandria, "So we need to watch Kellin and see if he exhibits any… abilities."

"I think so," agreed Elandria with a nod. "What happened yesterday may just be tied in with the Lenayath, but so much of our elven lore was lost, I just don't know exactly what is happening with Kellin or why."

Eamon cleared his throat. "I hate to say this, but if word gets out that Kellin has 'abilities,' it could be a threat to his taking the crown someday."

"I know," said Elandria. "That's one reason I'm worried and wondering just how many people we want to have access to realize that Kellin may be…special."

"Are you sure he isn't just exhibiting mage power that he inherited from you, Elandria?" asked Eamon.

"No, he's not. I would be able to detect the flow of mana within Kellin if that were the case, and I haven't felt anything like that from him. Whatever this is, it is not mage ability," Elandria said confidently. "Besides he is still too young. My power first showed at around six, and that was considered extremely young. I would expect it to be at least a few more years before there are any signs _if_ he ends up being a mage," she replied.

"How likely is that?" asked Eamon nervously. "Even with the loosening of the controls on mages, there is no way Kellin will be able to be king if he controls magic. Neither the nobles nor the Chantry would ever tolerate a mage-king."

"I know," said Elandria sadly. "But there is no way to know until his power manifests, if it ever does, but let's not borrow trouble. It's a possibility, but there is just as large a chance he will _not_ be a mage. Let's concentrate on what is best for him now and worry about that later."

"Well, what is best for Kellin is to have a human nanny as he begins to learn the things he will need to know to be king. Alistair, you have done a wonderful job these past years learning what you should have known from a young age, but you know as well as I that it took a lot of work and a lot of your time. You worked nonstop for years playing 'catchup.' Ferelden was lucky that you were willing to do so. Kellin needs to learn those things you had to work so hard at as he grows so that all the information will be there from day one when he someday becomes king, Maker willing," Eamon declared strongly.

Alistair looked at Elandria. "Lanie, Eamon is right. The nobles will become discontented if we do not allow more humans around Kellin. And he is also right about Kellin needing to learn about the kingship ahead of time. I was so ghastly unprepared after the Blight. If it weren't for Eamon, I never would have been able to do this job. He taught me so much of what should have been second nature to me, the names and alliances of the different noble houses, the influences on trade and taxation, services to the people, and so much more. All of it I learned from him. Kellin may not have an Eamon when the time comes. He _has_ to be more prepared than I was."

"I can understand that," Elandria said. "However, I want to meet whoever you select ahead of time, and I want to be present when Kellin meets this new nanny. Because this person is going to have such involved contact with my son, I want some say in who that is."

Alistair looked at Eamon, "That seems reasonable."

"I have no problem with it," Eamon replied with a shrug. "As long as we are agreed the nanny will be human and be able to run the nursery as she sees fit."

* * *

Briana spent the next two days in Camden's sickroom with Alec to assist her. Fox left one of his men on guard in the room and she caught a glimpse of at least one more outside the door. Briana had assumed that Camden was one of Fox's men, but it soon became clear to her that he was as much a prisoner as she or Alec were. Briana was pleased that by the end of the day, Camden's fever had broken. The willow she had included in the drafts she gave him along with the cool bathing of his skin had done the trick.

Shortly before the evening hours of the second day, Camden roused himself and opened his eyes, blinking as his vision adjusted. The first thing he saw was the woman sitting by his bedside. She was looking away from him, but when he moved she quickly turned back to face him. Camden was encouraged by the kindness he saw in her big brown eyes.

"Camden," she said, reaching out a hand to hold him down and keep him flat in bed. "My name is Briana. I've been taking care of you. How are you feeling?"

Camden moistened his lips before speaking. "I'm better," he said with surprise. "My head isn't hurting as much."

"That's very good," Briana said encouragingly. "Here, let me get you some more water now, and hopefully later we can get some food into you."

As Briana turned to pour him another drink, Camden looked from Briana to Alec and his eyes grew watchful. "I suppose I should say thank you for taking care of me. But what exactly is going on here? Where am I and why am I being held?" Camden saw a quick glance pass between Briana and Alec.

Briana returned her attention to Camden as she handed him the goblet and then spoke, "We were rather hoping you could tell us. Alec and I were accosted on the road outside Cove and brought here with no reason given. We are somewhere in the western bannorn, but I couldn't tell you exactly where."

"I too was taken from the road," Camden admitted after he took a long pull of the water. "You have no idea who they are or what is wanted with us?"

"A man named Fox leads these men, but I highly doubt that is his real name," Briana said. "How long have you been here?"

"I'm not sure," Camden said. "I hardly remember arriving here, wherever we are. I was on the road between Amaranthine and Denerim when I was taken. I fell sick after the first two days and was barely conscious on our arrival."

Again, a look passed between Briana and Alec. "Is there any reason you can think why someone would want to kidnap you?" Briana asked. "Obviously, the same person must be behind both our abductions. I just wish I could figure out why."

A wary look passed over Camden's face as he considered what to say. He had no idea who these two strangers were, regardless of the fact that the woman seemed to be taking care of him. Caution would be his watchword for right now. He would try to give no clues to who he was. "I have been out of the country for some time. I was just returning to my family's home. I hadn't been in Ferelden for more than a day before I was taken."

"I see," Briana said. She had been watching Camden closely while they talked. She would eat her hat if he wasn't a noble of some sort. His underlying mannerisms and manner of speech all screamed of a privileged upbringing. Now she regretted not having paid more attention when she had lived at the Palace. She had been too focussed on her healing skills to have paid much attention to politics and who was who among the noble families of Ferelden.

"What about you?" asked Camden. "Is there any reason someone might wish to take you and your man captive?"

"How do you know Alec is 'my man'?" Brianna asked, more as a delaying tactic than anything else as her eyes went to Fox's man standing by the door.

Camden saw her glance at the guard at the door and then turn back to him. It only took him a second to make the connection and realize that she wouldn't say anything important that could be overheard by their captors. "I just assumed," he said and then changed the subject. "How long before I can get up?"

Briana laughed, a soft tinkling sound that mesmerized Camden. "Men, I swear you make the worst patients. If you continue the way I expect, you may start getting out of bed tomorrow. You will be weak, however, and fatigue easily so no promises until I see how you are."

"I understand," Camden said, and he did, but he also had no desire to lie in this bed at the mercy of whoever had taken them. Camden wasn't the most athletic of men, his gifts lying more in his mental abilities, but he didn't plan to roll over and play dead either. If they could find a way to escape their prison, he would be more than willing to do his part.

* * *

The next morning Rhedyn acted as if nothing unusual had occurred the night before. She helped Zevran break their camp and pack their tent and other items on the packhorse. She even smiled at him a time or two, which worried Zevran. The fact that she projected this false cheer only highlighted for him that she was hurting inside. However, Zevran didn't know Rhedyn well enough to attempt a confrontation to force her to face whatever she was running from, as he would have done with Elandria or one of his other close companions. The only thing he could think to do was go along with her pretended nonchalance and hope that he could somehow find a way to help her. Zevran didn't think to ask himself why it mattered to him that Rhedyn was hurting or just why he wanted so badly to help her.

Zevran pushed them hard that day, wanting to make Stormgard as quickly as possible. They camped late that night and were once again on the road early the next morning. After a few hours of traveling, they came to a small village. It wasn't large, but it seemed a bustling place. There was a blacksmith, a tavern, a small marketplace, and small cottages that lined the road into and out of the village.

Zevran stopped outside the tavern. He asked Rhedyn to stay with the horse. He didn't trust that their possessions wouldn't disappear if they both entered the building. Zevran removed his weapons, leaving them on the pack horse, and Rhedyn watched disbelievingly as his whole demeanor changed. He seemed to shrink an inch or two and his face took on a faintly worried expression. He ran a quick hand through his hair mussing it and hunched his shoulders. He pulled his cloak tightly about him to hide the fineness of the tailoring of his clothes before entering the tavern with a hitched gait. In those few seconds, he had gone from the confident man she had been traveling with to a timid elven servant. Zevran returned shortly telling her they were in Cove, which was the village that was on the outskirts of Stormgard. Again the transformation took place, in reverse order this time, and Zevran was once again the man who had been at her side since Denerim. Rhedyn was puzzled as to why Zevran bothered to pretend to be someone he wasn't. She filed away her question for a later, more appropriate time, however. Zevran took the horse's reins from Rhedyn as he turned in the direction he had been told Dougal, the tracker who had first followed Briana's trail, lived. They passed through the small town, heading away from Stormgard itself. As they followed the road, clearings gave way to trees and finally Zevran located the turnoff to where Dougal kept a small cottage.

The cottage didn't look like it was big enough to contain more than a single room. It was constructed of a mismatch of logs that had mud daubed in between each one to block the wind. The roof was done in thatch, and smoke rose from the small stone chimney in one corner. The place was quiet as Rhedyn and Zevran approached. Zevran once again handed the lead line of the horse to Rhedyn and he moved close enough to knock on the door. There was no answer. Zevran turned to look back at Rhedyn and noticed her attention was focussed on an area beyond the small cabin.

She said very quietly with her lips barely moving, "We're not alone."

An older man, short but wiry, entered the clearing around the house from the direction Rhedyn had been watching.

"Greetings, ser," began Zevran.

"H'ain't no ser hair, young'un," the man stated in a thick local accent.

"You are Dougal, correct?" asked Zevran.

"That be me," the man replied with a nod.

"My name is Zevran Aranai. My companion is Rhedyn Altanori—"

"And just what elves be wanting me for?" Dougal interrupted rudely.

Zevran schooled himself to patience and said, "We have been sent to try and locate the missing princess. I understand you were the one who followed her trail as far as possible. Is that correct?"

"H'aye, I followed them for quite h'aways. I suspects they made for the road. H'only makes sense that's where they went. Once there," the man paused and shrugged. "Well, youse cain't track on The North Road, too much traffic."

"Would you be willing to take us to where you lost the trail?" Zevran asked.

"Now, why in tarnation would I wants to do that?"

Zevran tried again, "We have been sent from Denerim to—"

"Don't care none about them fancy folks in Denerim."

"Ser, we need to locate the princess and as soon as possible. Too much time has been lost already. Now, we can do this the easy way just between the three of us, or Rhedyn and I can make our way to Stormgard and Bann Alfstanna and back here again with her blessing and her orders. I know these are her lands and you must abide by her laws. I was just thinking we could take a shortcut and skip all that," Zevran said persuasively.

"Hum," the man seemed to consider what Zevran had said. "I suppose so," he finally replied. "H'is there h'anything in it for me?"

"We would of course reimburse you for your time," agreed Zevran smoothly.

The man grumbled a bit under his breath, but the promise of pay seemed to mollify him.

Rhedyn had stayed quiet and in the background, watching as Zevran dealt with the human. She was becoming fascinated with the different personas Zevran seemed to be able to put on with hardly any effort. Here with this Dougal, he seemed much more in charge and in control. Even his speech pattern was subtly different as he attempted to use his intonation to compel obedience from the man. Rhedyn had never seen anyone with the skill Zevran had of becoming the person that would best suit a situation, but today Zevran was teaching her how useful such a talent could be. Rhedyn's view of things had always been very black and white. Growing up in her clan, there were no real secrets so the idea of hiding who or what she was would never have occurred to her. There was a part of her, however, that was drawn to that idea and of being able to hide the things she didn't want to show to the rest of the world. Rhedyn made a note to herself to study Zevran for the rest of the trip to see what she could learn from him.

At Zevran's insistence, Dougal agreed to lead them to the trail immediately. He went into his cabin to gather his things and prepare it for his absence. Zevran and Rhedyn waited outside.

"So, my dear, it seems our mission's direction will soon be in your hands," Zevran commented.

Rhedyn raised a shoulder and answered without looking at him. "If the trail is there, I can follow it." Rhedyn had confidence in her abilities, but the_ length of time that had passed since the princess's abduction_ worried her. She wasn't about to admit that to Zevran though. She was bound and determined to pull her own weight on this trip.

Once Dougal exited his cabin, the three of them set off on the trail Dougal had followed days ago. Zevran could see no indication of a trail and he just hoped the man knew what he was doing. Dougal swore he could take them to the exact spot where he had lost track of Briana's captors. Rhedyn's eyes were in constant motion as they traveled. She noted the tell-tale signs that indicated the passage of large groups of people. She grumbled to herself about the stupidity of humans as she could find no trace of the group that had taken the princess on this trail. The large group of men that had accompanied Dougal had disturbed the original track to such an extent that she couldn't differentiate between the two parties. She hoped desperately that the men had just turned around at some point and hadn't totally destroyed all the evidence the kidnappers had left behind.

* * *

_AN: Thanks to Windchime68 and ladyamesindy for their help and guidance once again. I've made a New Year's resolution to have this story done well BEFORE the next New Year's Eve rolls around. Let's all hope I keep it. _


	15. Following the Trail

_AN: Thanks to my wonderful beta, Windchime68. Your help is once again greatly appreciated._

_Thanks also to Erynnar and Liso66 who help me keep my sanity on a daily basis and to everyone who takes the time to read or review the story._

_

* * *

_

The next few days after Elandria, Alistair, and Eamon's talk passed uneventfully in the Denerim palace. Everyone still remained at a high level of alertness, especially the guards for the royal family, but no more attempts were made on either the king or the prince. In an attempt to reassure those around him that all was well, Alistair tried hard to act as if nothing was the matter and to get back into his normal routine, but inside there was a part of him that never forgot that someone wanted him dead.

As Eamon was busy gathering the next candidates for the position of Kellin's nanny, Elandria spent her days split between Kellin, the salle, and the palace library. She had missed reading while living with the Dalish. Lanaya had a few books that she had acquired after Zathrian's death, but after growing up at the Circle Tower, Elandria missed walking into rooms full of nothing but shelves of books. Her current subject matter wasn't one she was enjoying necessarily, but one of the things Elandria had learned in her life was that it was best to be prepared. She was studying as much about the Fereldan nobility as she could reasonably stuff into her head; who feuded with whom, which of the houses allied together, who historically supported the Theirin kings, how each of the major families made their sovereigns; the list of subjects went on and on. There were times she despaired of ever making sense of it all.

Her admiration for Alistair rose as she realized just what he had been up against when she had blithely declared him king at that Landsmeet years ago. Elandria had never really considered exactly what that would entail for Alistair and how difficult it would be for him. The fact that he had risen so grandly to the challenge made her heart swell with pride.

Elandria was slightly surprised one evening when Alistair told her that he had a meeting scheduled with the Revered Mother the following day. When he asked if she wanted to attend, Elandria was pleased he had remembered her request. Elandria told him yes, but she was uneasy. She knew that the situation between her and the Chantry had to be worked out so they could all live in peace, but she didn't feel she was in a very good position. If the Chantry ever found out about her ties to the desire demon, they would be sure to label her an abomination and want to destroy her. Elandria was just glad Wynne was the only mage at court at the moment. All it would take is a mage probing her to detect those ties as Elandria had no idea how to hide them. As soon as the nanny issue was taken care of, the next item on her list had to be breaking her connection to the demon. That she had been able to keep it hidden so far was only luck, and her luck certainly would run out at some point, probably at the worst possible moment.

The next morning, Elandria was in Alistair's study well before the meeting was to take place with Revered Mother Perpetua. Once Alistair's clerk entered to advise them that the Revered Mother had arrived, Elandria, Alistair, and Hugh went through the connecting door, which led to an enclosed passage with its exit at a small meeting room. This room was used when Alistair wanted to have a discreet conference as no one could observe the king entering the chamber.

Alistair entered first with a smile pasted on his face. "Revered Mother Perpetua, how nice to see you again," he said. Alistair walked over to her, took her hand, and gallantly placed a kiss upon her first knuckle.

"King Alistair, good morning," she replied, slightly taken back by Alistair's greeting.

"You remember Lanie, don't you, Revered Mother? From when we were fighting the Blight?"

The mother's eyes turned coolly in Elandria's direction.

"Good morning, Revered Mother," Elandria said levelly. She stood slightly to the side and behind Alistair. She had promised to allow him to guide this encounter. "It's been some time since last I saw you. Congratulations on being named the head of Denerim's chantry."

After a distinct pause, the Revered Mother finally answered, "Thank you." She immediately turned her attention to the king.

"What exactly is this meeting about, your Majesty? The summons did not specify a subject. I have come as you asked and without my normal attendants."

Alistair put his hand out in indication of some chairs seated around a small table. "Please, ladies, let's sit down and be comfortable while we talk." All three seated themselves with Hugh taking up his favored position along the wall near the main entrance to the room. There was one of the Revered Mother's Templars also in the room, and he chose to stand opposite Hugh.

"Now," Alistair began, "I'll get right to the heart of the matter. As you are undoubtedly aware, there was an assassination attempt on me at our wedding reception last week. What you may not know is that there was also one on Kellin that same night, which was foiled by his guard commander." As Alistair quit speaking, he observed the Revered Mother. Even though he had been hoping the information would be news to her, she did not seem surprised by this. With an internal sigh, Alistair admitted to himself that he would have been shocked if she didn't have her own sources within the palace.

"I see," commented Mother Perpetua. "What does this have to do with the Chantry?"

Alistair paused a moment before putting his next words as delicately as he could. "It was suggested that perhaps the Chantry had some involvement in the attack."

"What?" A cry of outrage escaped the Revered Mother.

Alistair held up his hand to forestall her and he raised his voice a trifle. "Now, of course, I don't believe that, but there is a matter we need to discuss."

Elandria watched the Revered Mother carefully as Alistair directed the meeting. That awful night she had been fully prepared to believe the Chantry could be the force behind the attempts on Alistair and Kellin, but since then her anger had cooled. She had tried to look at things logically and dispassionately. The overriding question for her had been, what reason would the Chantry have for removing the last of the Theirin bloodline from Ferelden? The only answer she had come up with was…nothing. She had learned that until he had decided to marry her, Alistair's relationship with the Chantry had been fairly even and without conflict. The Chantry would have nothing to gain by removing Alistair as the king of Ferelden. Elandria had briefly considered that perhaps the Chantry was so afraid of _her_ that they were willing to risk the upheaval that would be caused in the aftermath of the death of both the king and the prince, but she had decided that idea was too extreme even for the Chantry. If the attempt had been against her instead of Alistair and Kellin, then Elandria would be more willing to consider the institution, or possibly one of its members, as a suspect.

Mother Perpetua had drawn herself up in a display of indignation as she asked, "And just what would this subject be?"

Alistair leaned forward slightly, placing both his hands on the table in front of him, as he met the Mother's indignation with his own steely regard. "The Templars you have placed in attendance on my wife," he declared flatly.

Mother Perpetua, however, wasn't backing down. "Are you surprised, your Majesty? You are the head of the nation. If this mage gains power over you, there is nothing or no one to stop her because who will gainsay the king?"

Alistair's temper flared and he used his hands to push back against the table. "What? Don't you remember Lanie at all from those times four years ago when we would stop and talk with you? What part of her did you decide was thirsting for power, and do you think so little of me that you believe I would allow that to happen?" Alistair's voice was slowly rising with each question. "For the Maker's sake, Lanie lived for four years with the Dalish _without a Templar_ in sight and managed not to become an abomination." Elandria winced at that comment.

"Be that as it may, I would be negligent in my duty if I allowed a mage access to you without any supervision. Do you think I haven't had those worried about this situation seek me out, asking for my advice and counsel?" the Revered Mother challenged the king right back.

Elandria broke in. "Enough, both of you!"

Alistair sat back, but turned his attention willingly to Lanie. The Revered Mother faced towards Elandria, surprised that she would dare to interrupt them.

"Just what do you consider adequate protection for Alistair? What will keep him safe from the threat you feel I represent?" Elandria asked curiously.

The Revered Mother paused as she knew that there was really no true protection for the king. As his wife, there would be times he would be alone with the mage, and if she really wanted to either harm or control him, no one could stop her. Mother Perpetua sat back as her mind raced, seeking an answer.

When the mother didn't speak, Elandria said quietly, "Alistair isn't helpless. His templar skills are his own protection and he carries them with him always. However, your Templar the other night almost prevented me from casting that protection spell around Alistair in time to prevent his assassination. While I'm willing to allow some templar supervision…"

"What?" exclaimed Alistair, surprised that Elandria would even consider such a thing.

"Think about it, Alistair," Elandria said as she turned her gaze on him. "the Revered Mother has a point. There will always be those who think I am exerting undue influence on you just because of what I am. If we allow the Chantry to place a few Templars in the guard, it may calm some fears among the people. I have nothing to hide from anyone." _Please Maker, don't strike me dead for that lie._

Mother Perpetua was surprised the mage—no, she had better start thinking of her as Elandria—would be so sensible. Perhaps they would be able to work together after all.

Alistair spoke to Elandria as if he had forgotten the Revered Mother was in the room. "Are you sure, Lanie? After all you've been through and the things you've done, to be back to being watched once again, it just doesn't seem fair."

"It's not that much different from you, Alistair. How often are you unobserved as you go through your day?"

"Well, that's true enough, although my watchers are to protect me from others. You, on the other hand, will have to deal with knowing that the guards are there more to protect other people from you."

"I spent my whole life being told I was a danger and couldn't be trusted with my power. If allowing the Templars in the palace will make things easier for you, I can live with it."

"Lanie," Alistair murmured and his eyes softened as he looked at her. He hated the restrictions that were being forced on Elandria just so she could be with him, but at the same time, he wasn't willing to let her go either.

Elandria turned once more to the Revered Mother. "As I was saying, I am willing to accept some level of supervision; however, I will brook no interference in protecting Alistair or Kellin. I will not be responsible for my actions if one of your Templars gets in my way if something like the other night happens again."

The Revered Mother nodded cautiously in agreement, and the three of them turned to the matter of working out exactly how the Chantry supervision would be implemented.

Elandria truly wasn't worried about the Templars the Revered Mother would place in the palace. After her experience at the reception, she knew she could withstand a Templar's attack. Elandria honestly thought that Alistair might be the only Templar in Ferelden who could stop her if it became necessary. She had a hard time believing that she would ever willingly hurt him, even if she was taken over by a demon.

* * *

Zevran and Rhedyn parted company with Dougal early the following morning. They had stopped and camped the previous night. Even though Dougal swore he could find the trail in the dark, Zevran didn't want to take any chances on him losing his way and then having to backtrack, so they had stopped for the night once the sun set.

When they reached the spot that Dougal swore was the end of the trail Zevran stood very still just looking around. Dougal pointed out to Rhedyn the last sign he had noted. Zevran couldn't see anything, but Rhedyn nodded in agreement with the man; her eyes sweeping the area surrounding them. Zevran turned and signaled Dougal to move back a few paces the way they had come. Since Alistair had advanced Zevran some money before he left Denerim to help defray any costs he and Rhedyn might incur on their search, Zevran thanked Dougal for his help and reached into his coin purse to pay him for his time.

Once Dougal was headed back towards Cove, Zevran turned his attention once again to Rhedyn. He quietly watched her as she examined the ground and even trees and brush. Finally, she seemed satisfied and she turned to him.

"Follow me," Rhedyn said and headed off without a backward glance.

Zev turned a long-suffering look on the packhorse, but obediently moved off after her. He followed her wordlessly for quite some time. Normally, Zevran would pass the time with some idle chatter, but he knew Rhedyn needed all her concentration. Even though he didn't know anything about tracking, Zevran realized that it would be no mean feat for Rhedyn to actually follow Briana's trail.

After a break for lunch followed by a few hours of travel, Rhedyn suddenly held up a hand and stopped. She dropped to her knees as her eyes scanned all around her. Zevran stood quietly with the horse as he waited. Rhedyn turned to him, "I can't be sure of the way they went," she admitted. "There are two possible tracks. I could try going a short way in each direction to see if I can locate anything," she suggested.

"Hold on just a moment," Zevran said as he turned to dig in one of the saddlebags. He pulled out a case used to carry sheets of vellum. He removed and unrolled a few sheets before selecting the one he wanted. He rolled the others back up, put them in the storage container, and returned the case to the saddlebag of the grazing horse. He dropped to the ground spreading the sheet out in front of him. "Come here, Rhedyn."

Rhedyn walked over and knelt down beside Zevran to see what he had. At first it didn't make much sense to her as she had never been taught to read. But as Zevran pointed out features and places, the mental map she had taught herself to carry in her head so she always knew where she was helped her realize exactly what he had. "That is wonderful!" Rhedyn burst out. She reached out a hand to trace the path they had taken from Cove. "Why, anyone could travel from place to place with one of these!" she said excitedly.

Zevran had to smile at how like a young child with a new toy Rhedyn was. He had forgotten that the Dalish's traditions were oral and very few of them could actually read. He realized Rhedyn had never seen a map before. "Yes, very handy," he agreed. "Alistair made sure I had maps of the areas he thought we might travel in. That's one of the benefits of being king, up-to-date information of the kingdom."

Zevran watched as Rhedyn's eyes continued to take in the map and her fingers traced their journey's path. "If you wish, when we return to Denerim, I could ask Alistair to provide you with maps of southern Ferelden, as payment for your assistance. I know that the clans wander at the will of the halla, but I think that you could still put them to good use, no?"

Once again, it was like a door came down over Rhedyn's face, and Zevran wanted to kick himself. The enthusiasm in her eyes died away. "That's very kind of you," Rhedyn said, but then very matter of factly turned the conversation back to the issue at hand. Using her mental picture of the area, she placed a finger on the map. "We should be somewhere around here," she stated.

"Yes," agreed Zevran, willing to let the subject drop if she was. He set his own hand on the map, near Rhedyn's but not touching hers, as he pointed out. "Here is the town of Homestead. It is a major junction along The North Road. It's not too far from here. I wonder if the kidnappers could have been making for there," Zevran mused.

Once again Rhedyn bent her head over the map as she identified the direction the other track took. It seemed to lead off into less settled areas. "You stay here with the horse," she said decisively. "I'll see what I can find in both directions. I shouldn't be long." With that Rhedyn pushed herself up off the ground and strode confidently off as she chose the track away from Homestead to investigate first.

Zevran picked his map off the ground and moved back to the horse that was grazing at the end of its lead. He returned it to the case with the others absently, as his mind was full of thoughts of Rhedyn. How he wished he knew exactly what her story was. Zevran kept innocently stepping into traps in conversation that he had no warning of without an understanding of her past. Zevran suspected that Alistair had known more about Rhedyn than he told him before they left Denerim.

Rhedyn took her time as she searched diligently for any clues to the passage of the party with the princess, but she couldn't help thinking about the man waiting for her to return as she did so. Despite her inner warnings, she found herself warming to Zevran and that was dangerous. She had to keep reminding herself that she couldn't afford to trust him.

Rhedyn hadn't known what to expect when she had left the last Dalish clan that had sheltered her and gone to the Vigil to join Ashalle. She had thought that perhaps the Wardens would accept her, but it seemed they didn't want her either. Nathaniel Howe, second in command, was in charge of all recruits and he hadn't offered her a place with the Wardens, even after watching her in some of the training. Because she was Ashalle's family, she had been allowed to stay at the Vigil as long as she liked, but she hadn't made any friends. For one thing, the majority of the Wardens were humans, and human males at that. Rhedyn had never let her guard down enough to allow any of them to get close to her.

She hoped they found the princess soon. Once there was another person around, Rhedyn could withdraw more and keep to the background. That was hard to do with just her and Zevran in camp. Her own reaction to Zevran worried her even more. She had to be careful just in listening to him talk. The way the purr of his voice sent tingles down her spine was downright obscene, and she had the strangest wish to run her fingers through the blond locks that cascaded down his shoulders when he allowed his hair free in camp during the evenings.

Rhedyn came to a complete stop. What was she doing? She had allowed thoughts of Zevran to totally distract her from her job. She shook her head firmly trying to drive the images of him from her mind as she forced her concentration back to the trail in front of her. Rhedyn looked around and realized she had come farther in her musing than she should have with no definitive proof that Briana had been brought this way.

Muttering in disgust at her own foolishness, Rhedyn turned back the way she had come and quickly made her way to where she had left Zevran. She waved to him as she headed in the other direction so she could check the path that led towards Homestead. Zevran nodded at her wave, but did not try to detain her. Rhedyn firmly keep her thoughts where they should be as she surveyed the surrounding area, but once again she was unable to locate any definitive clues. She traveled a bit farther, hoping to find something, anything that would tell her for sure this was the correct way. Finally, she acknowledged defeat and headed back to where she had left the other elf and the horse.

Rhedyn felt a flush of disappointment that she hadn't located the trail when she arrived back to Zevran and he turned a questioning look on her. She shook her head. "I don't know," she replied to his unspoken query. "The signs I have been following are very weak, and now I can't say for sure whether they headed towards the town or took the game trail in the other direction," she stated.

Zevran ran a hand across his face as he thought. His eyes fell on Rhedyn. She was staring past him into the distance. There were a few frown lines on her face and Zevran quickly realized she was considering something. "What?" he asked. "What are you thinking?"

Rhedyn moved her gaze to his face. Finally, she blew out her breath as she seemed to come to a decision. "There is one more thing I can try," she admitted. "I have no idea if it will work or not. Take the horse up the trail a distance and hobble him in an area where he can graze as what I'm planning may take some time. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Rhedyn moved off back in the direction of the game trail. Zevran huffed as she left, but he clicked to the horse to start him moving back the way they had come. He was annoyed as he had no idea what Rhedyn was up to, and Zevran was grumbling to himself as he did as she had instructed him. By the time he returned, Rhedyn was back with an armful of foul-smelling plant material. Zevran looked at her questioningly while waving his hand in front of his nose. "What is that for?" he asked.

Rhedyn gave him an evil grin. "It's for you," she replied.

Zevran didn't even think. Force of habit caused his mouth to utter his next words. "Well, I'm more used to my partners desiring pleasanter scents, but if this is what you really prefer…" Zevran trailed off, realizing Rhedyn wasn't getting the innuendo. With a sigh, he forced himself back to the matter at hand. "What do you want me to do with this?" he asked nodding towards her burden.

"I'm going to try and call in some animals from the surrounding area. I—sometimes when Andruil blesses me—I can communicate with them a little. However, the animals will not come if they detect someone else. You will have to be quiet, hold yourself motionless, and use this to cover your scent." Rhedyn looked at him challenging. "Think you can do that?"

"Child's play, _mi bella diosa de la tormenta,*" _Zevran replied. "My training was most thorough."

Rhedyn transferred her armful of plants to Zevran with relief. "Set yourself up somewhere where you will be comfortable. This may take a while…if it even works," she warned. "It's important that once I start you don't move or break my concentration until I'm finished."

Zevran agreed and then found a comfortable position with a convenient tree trunk that he could rest his upper body against as he sat on the ground. He spread the stinking plants around him and even made the sacrifice of rubbing some of the leaves against his skin to help camouflage his scent. He then leaned back against the tree and watched Rhedyn.

Rhedyn moved some distance away, but still within eyeshot of Zevran. She had considered trying to do this without his knowledge, but she was starting to know Zevran well enough to realize he would just follow her if she tried to sneak off. She had no hope of keeping this ability hidden from him if she was to have any chance of success, so she had decided to be open about it. She threw a glance Zevran's way and saw he was prepared.

Rhedyn chose her own spot and settled down, clearing her mind of all distractions. She sent a prayer off to Andruil, seeking her help and asking her blessing. Rhedyn sent her consciousness out drifting, questing to see if she could encourage a response from any of the animals who might call this area home.

Zevran sat motionless, his eyes trained on Rhedyn, as he ignored the stench that surrounded him. She had pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, laying her head on her knees. Zevran used his internal clock, developed during those long years of Crow training, to measure the passage of time. He judged it had been almost half a bell before anything happened. The first thing he saw was a small bird fly down and land on Rhedyn's shoulder. He watched as it sat motionless for a few minutes and then twittered a bit before flying off. Rhedyn didn't move, however, once the bird was gone so Zevran didn't either. He continued to watch as a small hare timidly approached Rhedyn, putting its twitching nose and whiskers against her hand. Again, Rhedyn made no move. The hare stayed still for a moment or two before bounding off. Zevran held his position, the only things moving on his body were the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed and the slow blinking of his eyes when necessary. More time passed. Zevran could hear the sounds of the countryside; the call of birds, insects going about their business, and the ruffling of tree and brush as the wind gently blew. Finally, the last visitor appeared. It was a doe, moving on delicate legs. The deer approached Rhedyn and lowered its head to snuffle the nape of Rhedyn's neck. Zevran sat quietly, entranced by the picture before him. The deer stayed longer, but it eventually made its graceful way back into concealment.

Only then did Rhedyn move, sitting up and stretching her legs out in front of her as she murmured a quiet thank you prayer to Andruil. Zevran took that as permission for him to break his position as well. He rose and quietly walked some distance from the malodorous plants before performing a few simple stretches to limber his body. He had stiffened up after remaining motionless for so long. Zevran approached Rhedyn, who was still sitting on the ground, opening and closing her fists as she tried to restore her circulation. Wordlessly, Zevran squatted down. He then reached out and gently took her hands in his and began massaging her palms and wrists. He felt her momentary shock and Rhedyn began to pull away from him. Zevran turned his amber eyes on her, and she stared back at him. Her gray eyes widened and her breathing picked up as she seemed to freeze under his gaze, allowing her hands to lie in his. Understanding that Rhedyn had little to no experience with men, Zevran dropped his eyes to her hands, pretending that he needed to concentrate on his task. This would allow her time to recover herself before she jerked away from him in fear.

"Tell me," he commanded in his dulcet tones as his hands kept up their soothing motions. "What exactly happened here today?"

Rhedyn took in a deep breath as she tried to figure out how to explain to Zevran what she had done. She removed her hands from his grasp and Zevran let her go without resisting. She frowned slightly in thought but began, "In the most basic terms, I sent out a call for help with the mental image of a dark-haired woman amid a group of horsemen. I had three separate responses. The first was from a bird that had been in a pine thicket pecking the nuts from pine cones. It sent me an impression of a group of horses passing the tree it was perched in. The second was a hare that was feeding at the side of a stream when it felt the vibration of many horses' feet from the ground. The last response was a deer, and she gave me the clearest picture. The doe was grazing by a rock ledge not far from a small pond when she saw a group of horses. She did not stay long enough to note any characteristics of riders, but bounded away as soon as she realized they were there."

"I see," said Zevran. "Does this information provide any help in determining which way we need to go?"

"Well, it doesn't tell us exactly, but if I see the areas the animals showed me, I'll know we are on the right track," Rhedyn replied.

"So again, we need to make a guess as to which direction," Zevran commented as he thought. "My instinct is still saying they were making for Homestead and the major road."

"Let's head in that direction then," Rhedyn suggested. "We can always backtrack to here if we have to and try the other way."

Zevran agreed and so he trudged off to retrieve the horse and their gear before they continued on in the direction of Homestead. Rhedyn once again led the way, her sharp eyes looking for any physical sign of the princess' party or anything that would confirm the images the animals had shared with her.

They hadn't gone too far beyond the point where Rhedyn had turned back when she had scouted the trail earlier when they passed what even Zevran could identify as pine trees. He raised his eyebrows at Rhedyn. She nodded in acknowledgement, but neither said anything as they continued wordlessly on.

Rhedyn suddenly held up a hand and stopped, squatting down to look at something lying on the path. She twisted her upper body to grin at Zevran. "This is the right way," she said triumphantly.

Zevran brought the horse closer so that he was standing beside Rhedyn. She was looking at a small piece of leather sitting all by itself. "I don't understand," Zevran declared. "Why are you so excited? And what does this tell you?"

"Remember what Dougal said about how the horses' hoof prints seemed to disappear from the trail after a few hours?"

"No, I must not have been there when you were discussing the subject," replied Zevran.

"Oh, maybe you weren't," agreed Rhedyn. "Anyway, the important thing is that Dougal suspected that the kidnappers may have somehow covered their horse's hooves to prevent leaving clear tracks, and it looks like he was right. This piece of leather could have been wrapped around a hoof and somehow secured below the fetlock joint. See, look at this." Rhedyn picked up the piece of leather and turned it over so she could see the inside. Even Zevran could detect the obvious scores where the horse's hoof wall had abraded repeatedly against the leather.

"I see, my dear," said Zevran. "Let us continue on our way then, yes?"

Zevran reached down his hand and Rhedyn slowly placed hers in his as he helped her to her feet. Rhedyn quickly removed her hand and nervously wiped it against her leg before starting off once again. They had gone only a little farther up the trail when they encountered a small stream that soon emptied into a pond that had a rock ledge along its one side. Rhedyn turned to Zevran with another smile on her face. "This is the place the doe showed me," she said with certainty before continuing on with an even more eager stride.

Zevran followed in Rhedyn's wake. His admiration for her skill grew as he realized the boasts about her ability weren't false. He just hoped that when they arrived in Homestead the trail wouldn't go cold once again, as then it would be his turn to determine their course.

* * *

_*My beautiful storm goddess_


End file.
